ESD-related latent failures of InGaAsP/InP laser diodes for telecommunication equipments

The authors present a case history of electrostatic discharge (ESD)-related latent failures of InGaAsP/InP laser diodes. A draft of the device structure and technology prefaces the failure analysis flow, which is illustrated as it was applied to catastrophic failures from equipment manufacturing. The authors point out the many different types of available information that have to be taken into account. They build up a fingerprint of the actual failure mechanism, and a basis for the comparison with ESD test data and physical interpretation of the observed failure modes. The ESD test and its results are described, and a general interpretation is proposed for the observed phenomena, based on a suitable equivalent circuit simulation for the electrical behavior, leading also to the qualitative representation of optical degradation. Life test results on partially ESD damaged lasers are discussed.<>