This part of IEC 61291 applies to optical amplifiers (OAs) and optically amplified, elementary sub-systems for terrestrial applications, using active fibres (optical fibre amplifiers (OFAs)) containing rare-earth dopants, which are commercially available.

The black box approach is used in this document. The black box approach is adopted in order to give product specifications which are independent of OA implementation details. For reliability qualification purposes, some information about the internal components is needed; these internal parts are themselves treated as black boxes. This document gives requirements for the evaluation of OA reliability by combining the reliability of such internal black boxes.

The object of this document is to specify the minimum list of reliability qualification tests, requirements on failure criteria during testing and on reliability predictions, and give the relevant normative references to establish a standard method for the assessment of the reliability of OFA devices and sub-systems in order to minimize risks and to promote product development and reliability qualification.