Specifically, the objectives are to:

• characterize both the short term and the long term robustness of components from damage due to optical power induced degradation or failure mechanisms

• provide data necessary to ensure that components are exposed to appropriate optical power levels that will not degrade their performance

• identify components prone to irreversible degradation

The test procedure described in this document is structured such that, if the ‘full characterization' option is performed, the component will be characterized without the need for re-testing should future applications change.

For example, one way to approach the issue of high power characterization is to test a component at a specific power level and wavelength to which the component will be exposed in a specific application. While testing of the component at that power/wavelength may indicate the robustness of the component in that specific application, if the component is considered for another application, the tests will need to be performed again at other powers/wavelengths. However, if the component is fully characterized at all relevant wavelengths, and the maximum power handling level at those wavelengths is identified, then all the information required to assess the suitability of the component in any application is available.

The results of the full characterization test method in this document will be a rating of the component under test. This rating forms the basis of determining the power levels to which the component can be exposed in a reliable manner. It essentially defines the "operating region envelope" for the component.

Since there will often be constraints (that is, time, cost, equipment availability) that limit the ability to perform the full characterization, alternative test methods are outlined in this document that perform only a subset of the full test.

The test methods contained in this document are intended to assess the robustness of components in their normal use conditions for which they were designed.