Laser Diode Characterization System LIV120

The LIV120 is a powerful but low cost pulsed / QCW / CW test system for use in the lab as well as for OEM applications, ideal for

• Diode characterization
• Quality control of incoming goods
• OEM

We offer this instrument with a variety of end stages covering current ranges from 250mA up to 20A in a compact enclosure and up to 1200A in 19” rack enclosures. The current ranges 250mA to 2A are forced air cooled. Above 2A in the compact enclosure, the unit is liquid cooled. Please contact us if liquid cooling is required for the low current versions. The LIV120 uses our extensive range of OPM150 laser power detector heads with all of the comfort of intelligent head technology for cost efficient swapping of detector heads. This feature is very useful when testing a wide range of wavelengths or when testing free beam and fibre coupled lasers. The measurement cycle typically takes less than 1s including the data transfer to the host computer.

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

A complete parameter set for a given measurement protocol may be uploaded to the LIV120. The LIV120 then takes over the measurement procedure. The unit drives the laser with the given prescription and performs the data acquisition and storage. The LIV120 operates both in CW and pulsed modes:

CW-LIV mode

Pulsed LIV mode

Many laser diodes of the same type may now be tested in this manner with very high throughput. The LIV120 is capable of running in the so-called soft pulse mode. This means that the current between pulses in pulsed mode operation does not drop down to zero, but rather to the value of the minimum current set by the operater. Note the very clean, square shape of the current pulses.

Current output (min. = 0)		Current output (min. ≠0)

The burst mode is used to run the driver at constant current with a single pulse (or step) width and pulse separation during the whole burst. All parameters (power, currents and voltage) are measured in this mode. Schematically this appears as follows:

CW-burst mode

Pulsed burst mode

The burst mode is useful for lifetime testing, checking the thermal contact on a device or for generating light for a certain length of time for other measurements such as smile, near field / far field patterns or spectra. Artifex Engineering supports this product with a custom connection line or contact card configuration service.

FIELDS OF APPLICATION

Applications include laser diode characterization after submounting or packaging, inspection of incoming goods and for OEMs. The software delivered with the unit allows for one-click generation of a full pdf data sheet for the device under test.