ON-LINE RECHARACTERIZATION OF LASER DIODES

摘要

A method of collecting data points of operating modes of a tunable laser for recharacterization of the laser while installed in an application. Operation of the laser is stopped for selected time slots (12), during which data is acquired about the modes of the laser, similar to that acquired during conventional characterization of the laser. These time slots (12) are spaced over time (10) in such a way that do not significantly affect normal operation of the application. After enough measurements have been acquired, new working points are calculated using a known algorithm for laser characterization. The laser control tables of operating currents to the various sections of the laser are then updated for these new working points. The method ensures that a recharacterization cycle is completed in significantly less time than the typical time scale of the aging phenomena, such that the recharacterization process closely tracks the aging process in small steps.