3. Important Notes
Before operation
•
Please read the rest of this manual carefully if this is your first time using this equipment.
•
Do not remove or alter any labels or safety features on this equipment or open the
equipment. Doing so will void your warranty and create an unsafe operating
environment.
•
There are no parts inside the equipment that the user must manipulate. There are
dangerous currents inside the equipment. You should only allow the technical staff of
Pyroistech S.L. to repair or work with this equipment. SLEDs are very sensitive to
electrostatic discharge and working with them without the appropriate measures can
damage them.
•
Inspect this unit and its power before using it for the first time. Do not use this device if
it is damaged in any way. Contact us to inquire about repair or replacement possibilities.
During operation
There are 2 aspects that affect the operation and performance of a SLED source in a very
relevant way: optical feedback and temperature.
Optical feedback
Optical feedback occurs when part of the optical power is reflected by one of the
elements of the experimental setup and returns to the SLED cavity. This phenomenon
occurs in any type of assembly, but in the case of SLEDs it is especially critical, because its
internal operation is based on NO optical feedback (or at least very reduced compared to
that which occurs in a laser).
•
The warranty does not cover problems associated with optical feedback, simply
because it is a problem that may be caused by an experimental end-user assembly, and
it is not possible to test and ensure that optical feedback will not cause problems for all
types of assembly.
•
As a safety threshold, it is recommended to ensure that the optical feedback at each
wavelength is at least 40 dB lower than the direct power emitted by the source at that
wavelength. Higher values do not necessarily have to be dangerous, but they do
increase the risk of critical failure. REALIZE that the threshold is a reference value that
does not imply any guarantee.
•
The following phenomena may be indicative of optical feedback: sudden drops in
power, alterations in the shape of the spectrum or the appearance of narrow peaks in
the emission spectrum. In extreme cases, a serious optical feedback problem, even if
momentary, can lead to an SLED breaking immediately.
•
The presence of an optical feedback problem may be due to a specific error or to the
continued incorrect use of the equipment, which may appear immediately or take time
to manifest. Therefore, it is very difficult to identify the real cause of the problem once
it manifests itself.
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Roemerstr. 67 | 82205 Gilching
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