Patent attributes
Optical component integrity monitoring circuitry monitors an optical component integrity sensing path in an optical component. If a rise in resistance of the sensing path is detected, the circuitry prevents the optical component from emitting light. The optical component may have a light-emitting device that emits light through an optical element. The sensing path may have a first path that is used to detect damage to the optical element and a second path that is coupled to a package covering the optical element and light-emitting device. The first path may have a segment formed from a metal trace on the optical element and a segment formed from a wire bond, providing mechanical compliance to tolerate strains expected in the use case. The second path ensures that the package is present to constrain movement of the optical element and its wires within a safe envelope defined by the package interior.