Reliability of Laser Diodes for High-rate Optical Communications – A Monte Carlo-based Method to Predict Lifetime Distributions and Failure Rates in Operating Conditions

Abstract High performances and high reliability are two of the most important goals driving the penetration of optical transmission into telecommunication systems ranging from 880 to 1550 nm. However, performance of high-rate optical communications systems is strongly related to micro-optoelectronic device parameters inserted into the transmitter and receiver blocks that have been used in telecommunication applications. These blocks contain InP photonic and GaAs or InP electron devices. It has already been demonstrated that hybrid or monolithic integration used to assemble these modules (optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs)) suffer from various intrinsic and process-dependent parasitic effects. In this case, reliability estimation is traditionally based on life-testing and a current approach is to apply Telcordia requirements (468GR) for optoelectronic and lifetime prediction, defined as the time at which a parameter reaches its maximum acceptable shift, is the main outcome in terms of reliability estimation for a technology. For optoelectronic emissive components, selection tests and life testing are specifically used for reliability assessment (in particular long-term reliability prediction in operating conditions for a given mission profile) according to well-established qualification standards (i.e. Telcordia GR-468 CORE). This approach is based on an extrapolation of degradation laws from the timedependent drift of electrical or optical parameters and associated physics of failure, allowing strong test time reduction.