An overview of burn-in
To be commercially successful, optoelectronic devices need to be reliable. However devices fail due to defects which arise during the manufacturing process. Burn-in involves running components under a continuous period of operation under controlled conditions to identify infant mortalities (devices that fail very early in their use), and to stabilize operating parameters thus ensuring that every device shipped is up to standard. Manufacturers/suppliers of laser diodes must consistently provide quantitative assurances (test data) to prove the reliability of their devices. Having this reliability data is essential to device makers in winning repeat orders and can justify a premium on price.