Error function analysis of optical components

A device for performing error analysis of optical components, comprising:

• an optical transmitter that transmits a test signal at a plurality of optical power levels;
• a port that outputs the test signal to an optical component and receives a version of the test signal from the optical component;
• a receiver that determines errors in the received version of the test signal;
• and
• a processor that determines an error rate at each of the optical power levels based on the determined errors, and continues testing at each optical power level of the optical component until a specified uncertainty level is met.

A method of error analysis of optical components, comprising:

• transmitting a test signal at a plurality of optical power levels to an optical component;
• receiving a version of the test signal from the optical component;
• determining errors in the received version of the test signal;
• determining an error rate at each of the optical power levels based on the determined errors;
• determining an uncertainty range for each determined error rate;
• and
• providing indication of the determined uncertainty ranges in relation to the determined error rates.