Abstract:
An analysis is made of the various factors that affect the reliability of semiconductor lasers and the results of laboratory service life tests are reviewed. The service life of GaAlAs/GaAs injection lasers exceeds 5×104 h and extrapolation of high-temperature tests suggests that it may exceed 106 h. Equally long service life is expected for InGaAsP/InP lasers and the published extrapolated values of the continuous service life exceed 1010h (at 10°C). The nature and the parameters of the distributions of failure are discussed and ways of forecasting the service life are considered.