On Degradation Studies of III-V Compound Semiconductor Optical Devices over Three Decades: Focusing on Gradual Degradation

This paper describes studies on the reliability of semiconductor optical devices over the course of more than three decades, dating back to the early 1970s. First, a retrospective look is taken at the evolution of optical device development and reliability studies. Second, the three main degradation modes for optical devices (rapid degradation, gradual degradation, and catastrophic failure) are outlined. Third, the results of the classical research into rapid degradation that was carried out in the 1970s and 1980s are presented as an introduction to a systematic discussion of the research that followed-remarkable research into gradual degradation. (C) 2010 The Japan Society of Applied Physics