This article describes the qualification process for a 1.8 kW laser diode stack designed for the Mars Curiosity rover. The seven-bar stack serves as the optical pump in a boom-mounted spectroscope attached to the front of the rover. Each laser bar is made of 62 single emitters and generates 260 W of instantaneous optical power. A detailed design analysis of the diode stack is presented along with the results of overstress testing and failure analysis.

Although plastic-encapsulated packaging dominates most of the IC industry, deprocessing and reliability testing continue to be a problem, particularly in industries making the switch from hermetically sealed ceramic packages. This article discusses the challenges designers and failure analysts face in the military and aerospace electronics industry stemming from the use of plastic packages. It provides examples of the types of failures encountered and describes the procedures used to detect and identify them.