Physical mechanisms involved during transient irradiation of a 1300 nm laser diode

The behavior of a commercial 1300 nm laser diode under transient irradiations is studied to validate the use of an optical data link in a radiative environment. A Nd:YAG laser is used to simulate the irradiation without any permanent damage. Two specific wavelengths are selected: 1064 nm which allows a selective excitation of the laser cavity simulating transient effects of a single particle and 532 nm which interacts with the whole device. The temporal response of the diode is first observed and its shape is interpreted as a function of the physical structure of the device. Then the variation of the time of return to equilibrium after a perturbation is presented as a function of bias current. The limitations on the optical links for both analogue and digital applications are then discussed.