Characterization of Light Emitting Devices

Fast Active Alignment

The classic application focus of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is the medical field of ophthalmology. However, today, OCT also gets considered for applications in industrial environments such as printed circuit board (PCB) layer diagnostics, and material surface analysis. Modern OCT solutions demand light sources with a high spectral bandwidth and a long coherence length. Super luminescent emitting diodes (SLED) and swept laser sources (SLS) are both light sources that need to fulfill increasingly demanding customer requirements. For this reason, SLED and SLS are becoming more expensive, meaning that a quality check is economically unavoidable before completing the next step: Packaging the SLED and SLS in butterfly packaging.

Fast and synchronized testing on-the-fly can be realized with PI’s Fast Multi-Channel Photonics Alignment (FMPA) systems. Automated area scans allow fast and reliable high-resolution emission profile analysis. Additionally, the intelligent gradient search algorithm can track the position of the optimum of any figure of merit e.g. light intensity for hours. These two algorithms are the core of the FMPA solution that run on many PI controllers. The variety of positioning systems on all length scales allows PI to find the perfect solution for light source quality control.

Key Features of the Alignment Solution

Proven and award-winning technology
99% reduction of characterization time
Reduced systematic error through alignment to the optimum of the figure of merit
Reliable tracking during long-term process steps
Scalable for fab-class testing
Lowest cost of ownership
Optimization of any figure-of-merit

XYZ/ θX θY θZ – Automatic Submicron Alignment of the Optical Fiber

Parallel-kinematic hexapod for fast alignment over long travel ranges in six degrees of freedom
High stiffness of the mechanical design provides high dynamics and short settling times
Freely definable center of rotation adresses geometrical offsets
Position sensors ensure high accuracy and operational reliability
Compact design for space saving integration

XYZ Axis – Automatic Nanometer Alignment of the Optical Fiber

Parallel-kinematic piezo system for fast scanning motion
High stiffness of the mechanical design provide fast scanning motion and tracking
Zero-play flexure guides for high guiding accuracy, without any wear or particle generation
Integrated sensors offer excellent linearity of motion, long-term stability, and scanning frequency of up to 100 Hz
All-ceramic insulated piezo actuators for outstanding lifetime

θZ Axis – Reliable and Scalable Placing of the Optical Components

Highly accurate and repeatable 360° rotation without backlash
High velocities and accelerations due to magnetic direct drives
Ironless linear motors provide smooth and precise operation without cogging
Low profile design for space saving integration

User-Friendly and Flexible Automation Control

EtherCAT® interfaces enables fast integration into high-throughput industrial systems
High-performance industrial controllers automate built-in scans and optimizations with millisecond responsiveness
Proprietary firmware enables fast alignment of fibers based on fast area scanning algorithm for first light detection and gradient search for peak coupling
Software support for fast application development on all common operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and MacOS as well as many common programming languages including MATLAB , Python, C# and NI LabVIEW
Quick start-up and ease of use with PI MicroMove software