The Keysight / Agilent / HP 8153A Lightwave Multimeter mainframe offers two slots for plug-in modules. Since modules can be combined in any configuration, the instrument can be used as a 1/2 channel power meter, a 1/2 channel light source, a loss test set, or even as a return loss test set.

Four different power sensor modules, with different sensitivities from -70 dBm down to -110 dBm, cover the 450 nm to 1700 nm wavelength range. Each is individually calibrated over its entire wavelength range and is traceable to NIST and PTB for precise optical insertion loss for both single-mode and multimode

The external power sensors (optical heads) cover the power range from +27 to -90 dBm. They are especially suitable for obtaining the highest requirements in absolute accuracy, e.g. for calibration services, and also for open beam measurements.

The source modules offer very good short-term and long-term stability. The high output power can be internally attenuated by up to 6 dB. All sources are able to output CW or pulse-modulated light (internal modulation at 270 Hz, 1 kHz, or 2 kHz). components.