ISO/IEC 10373-5:2014 - Identification cards - Test methods - Part 5: Optical memory cards
Overview
ISO/IEC 10373-5:2014 defines standardized test methods for optical memory identification cards (as defined in ISO/IEC 7810 and related supplementary standards). It specifies how to measure geometry, optical-track alignment, defect levels and optical media properties for optical memory cards. The document provides test procedures, default test conditions, calibration requirements and reporting items, but does not include acceptability criteria (those are in the referenced base standards).
Key technical topics and requirements
- Test environment & pre-conditioning
- Default laboratory environment: 23 °C ± 3 °C, relative humidity 40–60%.
- Pre-conditioning: cards conditioned to test environment for 24 h when required.
- Default tolerance on equipment and procedure values: ±5%.
- Total measurement uncertainty must be stated in test reports.
- Test selection and independence
- Tests are technology-specific and intended to be performed separately (cards need not pass sequentially through all tests).
- Dimensional and alignment tests
- Location of accessible optical area and reference track - fixed reference points and measurements (X, Y, C, D) with measurement accuracy 0.05 mm.
- Skew measurement - uses an optical microscope, xy stage and position indicator to determine angle between reference track and card edge.
- Defect inspection
- Optical microscopy to count defects in the optical layer exceeding 2.5 µm (cross-section); calculate total defect area and defect density relative to the accessible optical area.
- Note presence of defects in transparent layer exceeding 100 µm.
- Optical properties measurement (PMT)
- Uses a Production Media Tester (PMT) based on an optical card drive with a 780 ± 15 nm laser.
- Read power typically 200 µW; write pulses e.g. 13 mW, 2 µs duration to produce calibrated bit diameters (~3.35 µm on calibration card).
- PMT calibration regime: metal standard traceable to NIST/NRC (every 5 years), Gold standard checked annually, Silver standard checked every 120 days, PMT reflectance calibrated after every 4 hours of use; read-power tolerance ±1%.
Practical applications and users
- Card manufacturers and process engineers - to validate production quality of optical memory cards.
- Test laboratories and certification bodies - to perform standardized measurements and generate comparable test reports.
- Smartcard and ID program integrators, government issuers and system auditors - to specify test requirements for suppliers and verify compliance.
- Optical card drive and test-equipment manufacturers - to design PMTs and calibration procedures that meet standard requirements.
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 7810 - Identification card physical characteristics
- ISO/IEC 11693 / 11694 - Optical memory card technologies (linear & logical structures)
- ISO/IEC 10373-1 - General card test methods
- Other parts of ISO/IEC 10373 (Parts 1–9) for magnetic, contact IC, proximity and holographic optical cards.
For full procedures, calibration details and official acceptability criteria consult the complete ISO/IEC 10373-5:2014 publication from ISO.
