Design And Implementation Of High-Speed Pulse Driver For Semiconductor Laser Diodes

In view of some applications, such as distributed optical fiber temperature sensing system, pulse optical fiber laser based on MOPA and so on, a design of driving circuit for semiconductor laser diodes was proposed in this paper, which successfully realize the generation of narrow pulses with high repetition-rate and fast rising and falling time.Firstly, the working principle and characteristics of laser diode were described. Corresponding driving schemes were proposed and compared with each other. Then, the technical route for implementation of pulse driver for LDs was presented, followed with detailed exposition on design, simulation and implementation of the circuit. Specifically, the main contents are provided below:a) The circuit model of a typical injection semiconductor double hetero-structure laser diode was established. Its corresponding SPICE model was created.b) Using VMOS as key component of the driver, both driving circuit and LD load were simulated with HSPICE simulator in a component model level. According to the result of the simulation, the most suitable circuit devices were selected.c) In accordance with the particular circuit schematics, the PCB design was then accomplished by making use of high-speed signal theory and transmission line theory. At last, after debugging the whole hardware departmental module, the LDs pulse driver realized its unitary functions.Through the corresponding test results, the LDs pulse driver was proved to have a superior ability for pulse driving:a minimum pulse width of 43ns, a short rising and falling time of 5ns～7ns and an adjustable peak current, typically 2A. Therefore, it could be readily used in distributed optical fiber temperature sensing system or pulse optical fiber laser based on MOPA.