BOZEMAN, Mont. -- ILX Lightwave Corporation, a leader in laser diode instrumentation and test systems, announced today a major laser diode test service contract with ABB Bomem of Quebec, Canada. Under the contract ILX Lightwave will perform comprehensive parametric and optical characterization on approximately 200 free-space, TO-can laser diodes. These diodes will be used in a space-based satellite application and must undergo rigid testing prior to flight qualification.

This contract test service provided to ABB Bomem is ILX’s latest demonstration of its expertise in laser diode test. The test bench utilized for ABB Bomem is comprised largely of off-the-shelf ILX Lightwave instruments, including the LPA-9080 Laser Parameter Analyzer and LDC-3714 Laser Diode controller. Spectral and spatial characterization instruments are integrated seamlessly with the ILX instruments over a GPIB bus and controlled by a single computer. The ABB Bomem test program includes full spectral, spatial, and LIV characterization, based on NIST traceable optical power measurement.

“We are excited to offer this contract test service to ABB Bomem. Test services like this are a natural extension of our product expertise in laser diode instrumentation and test systems,” says Shirley Thorkelson, Contract Test Services Manager for ILX Lightwave. “We were able to quickly and accurately provide optical characterization results for ABB Bomem, allowing them to easily and confidently select the lasers most suited for their critical application.”

Dr. Larry Johnson, ILX Lightwave President and CEO, added, “We are able to provide this service at a fraction of what it would cost ABB Bomem to equip their own test lab. Our turn-around time is a matter of weeks, which allowed the customer to progress quickly on their project timeline without ramping up and staffing a test lab. To our knowledge, no other laser diode test service provider is offering this level of expertise with this degree of cost- and time-savings.”

ILX Lightwave Corp.