Washington, DC. May 9th, 2007 – Clear Align was an invited guest at the Military, Aerospace, Space and Homeland Security (MASH) Conference presented by the International Microelectronics and Packaging Society (IMAPS). Robert W. Irvin and Dr. Ralph S. Jameson presented on the topic “Space Qualification of Fiber Optics Components.”

The presentation focused on effective strategies at three separate levels required for qualification of fiber-optic components for space flight. From the viewpoint of the space mission, the reliable operation of the fiber-optic module or system is the primary requirement.

First Level Strategy: Trade-Offs Evaluation
Therefore, the first strategy lies at the system architecture level. This entails evaluating trade-offs between:
• minimizing total component count
• minimizing the different types of components used
• incorporating redundant components and redundant optical paths
• achieving the optical loss budget
• meeting the size and power consumption constraints.

Second Level Strategy: Component Level Evaluation
The second strategy lies at the component evaluation level. Trade-offs are required between:
• the number of components to be stressed and evaluated:
• the stress tests used
• the correlation of the stress to reliability in actual use conditions
• the use of accelerated life testing
• the allowed time
• available budget
• required reliability
• required confidence level.

Third Level Strategy: Design for Manufacturing
Under conservative assumptions, the number of device-hours of stress test may amount to thousands of device-years. Thus, a third level strategy is required at the manufacturing level. This involves detailed knowledge of the design and manufacturing process, so that possible failure mechanisms can be eliminated in the design and so that rigorous process controls can assure defect-free assembly and consistent components.

As an alternative to classical long-term reliability testing, detailed knowledge of component failure modes is used to develop environmental test methods designed to bring out the known failure modes. This custom-tailored test plan, combined with a lot certification strategy, will provide the greatest risk mitigation for high reliability.

About Clear Align

Clear Align designs, prototypes and manufactures custom imaging, sensing and fiber-optic systems for defense, aerospace and commercial customers. Clear Align’s imaging expertise spans the UV, visible, NIR, SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR portions of the spectrum, delivering both narrow- and wide-field-of-view systems. Fiber-optic and sensing expertise includes optical integration for communications, remote sensing and targeting, as well as medical fiber optics. Clear Align is a certified WOSB, 8(a) SDB, and SB per the US SBA regulations.

More information about the company is available at the company’s website, www.clearalign.com, or by contacting:

Laura Hasen
laura.hasen@clearalign.com
484-956-0510 X21