Detection and analysis apparatus

Tender description

The University of Southampton is currently exploring a range of options to meet its need for the Provision of a Spectral Polarimetry Instrument. The University is keen to explore all options that may be available in the marketplace and interested parties are invited to complete and return a Soft Market Testing Questionnaire. Further details, including the University’s high-level requirements, can be found at Section II.2.4. The University of Southampton is currently exploring a range of options to meet its need for the Provision of a Spectral Polarimetry Instrument. To characterise the device polarisation performance, we are interested in measuring a number of quantities with as great an accuracy and precision as possible. For a given device under test (DUT), the following quantities (ordered in terms of priority), should be measured at an array of individual wavelengths over the full bandwidth of interest, in other words, all information should be spectrally-resolved: Highest priority — Mandatory Measurement Quantities. The following quantities should be measured over the full C-Band: 1525-1565 nm. 1. Magnitude of linear birefringence; 2. Orientation (i.e. azimuth) of linear birefringence (referenced to a known absolute polarisation azimuth defined by the PD-FOCA instrument); 3. Magnitude polarisation mode coupling between birefringent axes. This can be expressed as polarisation extinction ratio (or h-parameter for a given length of test fibre); 4. Magnitude of linear di-attenuation, also known as polarisation-dependent loss (PDL); 5. Orientation (i.e. azimuth) of linear di-attenuation / PDL (referenced to a known absolute polarisation azimuth defined by the PD-FOCA instrument). Note that the diattenuation/PDL axis in our DUTs is not necessarily the same as that of the linear birefringence. Medium Priority. 6. Extended wavelength coverage for the above properties for example, spanning the full L-Band; 7. Measurement of absolute transmission loss; Low priority. 8. Magnitude and orientation of circular birefringence; 9. Magnitude and orientation of circular diattenuation/PDL; 10. Spatially-resolved information for any of the above quantities; 11. BER / eye diagram / modulation analysis through DUT. The University is keen to explore all options that may be available in the marketplace and interested parties are invited to complete and return a Soft Market Testing Questionnaire. The deadline for the receipt of completed Soft Market Testing Questionnaires is 30.4.2018 12:00 pm local time. Responses received as part of this soft market testing exercise shall be used to help shape the University's final specification of system requirements and scope any resulting procurement process. Please Note: The University is conducting this soft market testing exercise to allow interested parties, with appropriate experience, to outline their views and provide impartial information to the University with no commitment to themselves or the University. This is not a call for competition at this stage.