Highly reliable performance of 980-nm pump lasers predicted by optical over-stress life tests

摘要

980-nm InGaAs strained quantum well lasers are promising key devices for Er~(3+) -doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) because of their low noise and low power consumption. Stable operation at more than 90-mW fiber-coupled power is essential for the applications of inline or pre-amplifiers. Catastrophic optical damage (COD) at mirror facets is a main origin of degradation for 980-nm pump lasers. Therefore, the reliability of the lasers should be evaluated from the viewpoints of passivation materials and processes. Based on the accurate evaluation on the time to COD failure of 980-nm pump lasers by optical over-stress life tests, we have estimated the lifetime of a laser coated by SiN_x/Al_2O_3 combined films more than 100,000 h at 90-mW fiber-coupled power.