Tektronix's 400G-TXE software package

Tektronix automates 400G PAM4 electrical testing

  • Tektronix has expanded its line-up of PAM4 test solutions to include 400G electrical compliance testing for OIF-CEI-56G VSR/MR/LR PAM4 standards.
  • The new 400G-TXE software package runs on Tektronix DPO70000SX Real-Time Oscilloscopes which offer up to 70 GHz bandwidth.
  • The automated turnkey solution performs PAM4 compliance test sweeps in a single pass for shorter test times.

 
The use of PAM4 encoding doubles the data rate of serial data channels compared to NRZ (non-return to zero). But as a complex modulation scheme it also presents a number of test and measurement challenges. Many of the measurement specs for PAM4 are still in flux, making it difficult to stay current with the latest measurement techniques being formalized by the standards.

The Tektronix 400G package allows users to evaluate electrical PAM4 signals to specification-mandated limits, and offers OIF-CEI spec-level compliance tests. The solution includes digital clock recovery capabilities that provide trustworthy measurement results under all conditions, including signals impaired with ISI jitter or other impairments.

Tektronix 400G-TXE compliance package performs standard required test sweeps with just one application, reducing thereby test times and ensuring repeatability.

Beyond compliance testing, Tektronix also provides PAM4 analysis & debug software solutions for both Real-Time and Equivalent-Time Oscilloscopes to evaluate failing conditions such as BER and Eye Height & Width.

The 400G-TXE solution runs on DPO70000SX 70GHz, 59GHz and 50GHz real-time oscilloscope models.