SEMICONDUCTOR-LASER DAMAGE DUE TO HUMAN-BODY-MODEL ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE

Various types of InP-based semiconductor lasers, Fabry-Perot (FP), and distributed feedback (DFB), in different wavelength regions of 1.3, 1.48, and 1.55 mum have been subjected to human-body-model electrostatic discharge (ESD) testing. The reverse V-I characteristics of these diode lasers were found to be generally most sensitive in detecting ESD damage than the forward characteristics (e.g., threshold current) of the laser. The laser ESD failure voltages were much lower for the reverse than the forward polarity and DFB lasers were found to be more vulnerable to ESD than FP lasers. The failure mechanism was found to be due to localized melting-a thermal effect-in both polarities of ESD testing. We also report the study of the latent ESD effects on the long-term aging rates of semiconductor lasers.