Reliability of Superluminescent Optoelectronic Components, RESUP

• Research unit: COST
• Project number: C03.0048

Key words (English)

Photonic components; component reliability; optical communications; optical metrology

Research programs (English)

COST-Action 270 - Reliability of Optical Components and Devices in Communication Systems and Networks

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

A, B, CY, DK, F, D, I, LV, NL,H, PL, E, S, CH, GB

Abstract (English)

The objective of this project was the investigation of reliability and lifetime phenomena of Superluminescent Light Emitting Diodes (SLEDs). We performed experiments with SLEDs optoelectronic devices produced in our company to acquire and compile new knowledge on our device reliability. SLEDs are used in applications where a reliable functionality is of key importance. The main application fields are optical telecommunications, optical metrology, medical imaging, and optical fibre-based navigation systems. We investigated in our laboratory the lifetime performance of our devices. We measured the variations of key device parameters (e.g. output power) over long time spans, typically longer than 2000 hours. The resulting data helped us to understand the mechanisms affecting the reliability of our devices. Moreover we extracted parameters like mean lifetime and wear-out activation energy, which allows the modelling and the prediction of the SLED reliability behaviour. We presented and discussed our results in the COST270 forum. Our contribution and readiness to disclose reliability data of our components was much appreciated by the participants of the COST270 action. Finally we were able to establish new research collaborations with partners in and outside Switzerland.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: COST-DB of the State Secretariat for Education and Research Hallwylstrasse 4 CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. [phone] Swiss Project-Number: C03.0048