Agilent/Keysight E4861A

The Agilent/Keysight E4861A is a VXI slot-wide modular component for the ParBERT 81250 Parallel Bit Error Ratio Tester platform, enabling high-speed parallel stimulus generation and analysis. It accommodates two front-end plug-in cards for generator and analyzer functions, supporting data rates from 333 Mb/s to 2.7 Gb/s and testing of multi-channel devices including multiplexers, demultiplexers, and SerDes circuits up to 40G.

Technical Specifications

• Data rates: 333 Mb/s to 2.7 Gb/s (E4862A/E4863A front-ends) or 333 Mb/s to 1.65 Gb/s (E4864A/E4865A front-ends)


• ParBERT 81250 system range: 675 Mb/s to 45 Gb/s (across various modules)


• Pattern generation: PRBS up to 2³¹−1, pseudo-random word sequences (PRWS), user-defined patterns up to 64 Mb Generator Front-End (E4862A/E4864A)


• Output amplitude: 0.5 Vpp to 1.8 Vpp variable


• Transition time (20%–80%): 90 ps typical


• Data mode jitter: <50 ps peak-to-peak


• Clock mode jitter: <5 ps RMS


• Operates in clock mode (50% duty cycle, Pulse Port) or NRZ data mode with variable delay (Data Port) Analyzer Front-End (E4863A/E4865A)


• Input impedance: 50 Ω


• Input sensitivity: 50 mV


• Input voltage range: −2 V to +3 V

Key Features

• Dual front-end capacity per module for flexible configuration


• Supports differential and single-ended signal interfaces


• Integrated bit error ratio (BER) analysis with multiple pattern modes


• Automatic synchronization and alignment capability


• Modular architecture for scalable parallel testing

Typical Applications

• Parallel-side testing of multiplexer/demultiplexer and SerDes devices


• High-speed telecommunications IC validation (e.g., OC-768)


• Storage area network component characterization


• Multi-channel digital communication device verification

Compatibility & Integration The E4861A integrates within the ParBERT 81250 ecosystem, supporting mixed module configurations for data rates spanning 675 Mb/s to 45 Gb/s across the platform.