Abstract

Laser diodes operating at 980 nm for pumping Erbium fiber amplifiers have historically suffered from significant rates of sudden failures due to optically driven facet degradation. This failure mode is closely related to catastrophic facet failures (COD) suffered by lasers that have been optically overstressed. Recent reports have described a proprietary facet passivation technique [1] that has effectively reduced sudden failures and raised optical damage power levels, although these devices are still susceptible to optical damage at high power levels.

© 1996 Optical Society of America