Advantest Q8221 – Optical Power Meter

The Advantest Q8221 is a two-channel optical power meter designed for precise measurement and analysis of optical power across diverse applications. Its flexible plug-in system accommodates different optical sensors and light sources, enabling absolute power, relative power, loss, and return loss measurements. The instrument delivers high accuracy with ±2.5% performance at the calibration point and ±4.5% across the broadband wavelength region when using sensitivity curve compensation. A 5-1/2 digit display presents measurements in watts (mW, µW, nW, pW), dBm, or dB with 0.001 dB resolution on the display panel and 0.0001 dB via GPIB data output.

– Technical Specifications

• Channels: 2-channel plug-in configuration (Channels A and B)
• Display: 5-1/2 digit, 7-segment FL device
• Measurement Units: W (mW, µW, nW, pW), dBm, dB
• Resolution: 0.001 dB display / 0.0001 dB GPIB output; up to 199,999 counts in W display mode
• Measurement Modes: CW or chopped light (270 Hz, 2 kHz, 4 kHz); absolute power, relative power, loss, return loss
• Accuracy: ±2.5% at calibration point; ±4.5% across broadband wavelength region; ±0.5% linearity; ±0.5 dB power accuracy
• Power Range: -80 dBm to +10 dBm (standard); up to +27 dBm with Q82227 high-power sensor
• Noise Floor: -94 dBm (high-sensitivity sensors)
• Polarization Dependence: 0.003 dBp-p or less (Q82232, Q82233 sensors)
• Return Loss: 60 dB or greater (APC/slanted rubbed connector); 45 dB typical (PC rubbed connector with high return loss adaptor)
• Integration Time: 100, 20, 7, or 2 msec
• Measurement Speed: Up to 100 measurements/sec (2 msec integration, single channel); 50 measurements/sec (other integration times or multi-channel operation)
• Data Memory: 400 points per channel
• Panel Memory: 5 per channel
• Calculation Functions: A/B, B/A, scale, reference, max/min difference
• Level Meter: 11-dot bar display
• Dimensions: 88 (H) × 212 (W) × 360 (D) mm
• Weight: 3.9 kg

– Key Features

• Wavelength sensitivity compensation via internal lookup tables
• Maximum hold function captures peak measurement values
• Dual-channel simultaneous operation
• Selectable CW or chopped-light measurement modes

– Interfaces

• GPIB (100 measurements/sec output rate)
• Analog output: 0–2 V BNC (both channels)
• USB, RS-232C

– Typical Applications

Optical power characterization, fiber optic testing, return loss measurement, multi-wavelength power analysis.