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 electrostati c discharge (ESD) testing. The reverse V-I characteristics of these di ode lasers were found to be generally most sensitive in detecting ESD damage than the forward characteristics (e.g., threshold current) of t he laser. The laser ESD failure voltages were much lower for the rever se than the forward polarity and DFB lasers were found to be more vuln erable to ESD than FP lasers. The failure mechanism was found to be du e to localized melting-a thermal effect-in both polarities of ESD test ing. We also report the study of the latent ESD effects on the long-te rm aging rates of semiconductor lasers.