Keithley 2520 – Precise test system for pulsed laser diodes
The Keithley 2520 Pulsed Laser Diode Test System is specifically designed for demanding characterization and production testing of laser diodes – both at the chip and bar level. It simplifies LIV (Light Current Voltage) testing prior to packaging or during active temperature control, providing a fully integrated solution for use in production.
The system combines precise current and voltage sources with high-accuracy measurement functions for pulsed and DC-based tests. A programmable sweep function can be automatically stopped based on the optical power limit. The DSP-based measurement channels capture synchronized measurements for light intensity and voltage—ideal for precisely determining the laser characteristic curve.
The Keithley 2520 supports pulse widths from 500ns to 5ms with up to 4% duty cycle and enables pulse currents up to 5A and continuous DC currents up to 1A. With 14-bit measurement accuracy on three independent channels (voltage, front- and rear-side photodiode), the system delivers high-resolution and reproducible results. An optimized measurement algorithm significantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio for pulsed measurements.
Additionally, up to 1000 sweep points are available in the buffer memory, eliminating GPIB data traffic during testing and significantly increasing throughput. Digital I/O options as well as IEEE-488 and RS-232 interfaces enable seamless integration into automated test environments.
The Keithley 2520 is therefore the ideal solution for precise, fast and repeatable testing of laser diodes – both in development and in series production.
