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High Speed Laser Diode Driver

Technical Report · November 2016

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.30013.15841

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High Speed Laser Diode Driver
Mustafa A Kabel

Technical University of Denmark

Department of Electrical Engineering
Ørsteds Plads 348
2800 Kgs. Lyngby – Denmark
I
Abstract

The aim of the study is to design a high speed laser diode driver and develop specifications for the laser
diode driver based on NKT photonics requirements. After studying the papers that are shown in the
references, it has been chosen the most suitable technology for the laser diode driver realization and it has
been worked on design of high speed laser diode driver circuit. Then it has been worked on improving the
design performance to deliver shorter pulse width and also to meet the desired laser diode driver
requirements in NKT photonics. Therefore the high speed laser diode driver designed to drive a laser diode
FLD5F6CX-J that has been used in NKT photonics. The result is the design of the high speed laser diode
driver after layout can deliver to the laser diode a short pulse of 2 ns at repetitions rate 40 MHz and the
delivered maximum pulse voltage is 3 volt with maximum current 80 mA. Also, its optical output power of
the laser diode driver is about 20 mW continues at 1550 nm for TTL-3.3 V input signal and DC power supply
12 V. The design of the circuit based on bipolar transistor where the input is simply TTL trigger signal and
the output is a current driver to the laser diode. The Advanced Design System (ADS) tool is used for the
design of high speed laser diode diver and its simulation and its layout.
II
Acknowledgment

This study was prepared at the department of Electrical Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark
(DTU) and the collaborative business, NKT Photonics in fulfilment of the requirements for acquiring MSc. in
Electrical Engineering. In addition, I would like to thank Associate Professor Vitaliy Zhurbenko at DTU and
Research Engineer Peter Morten Moselund at NKT Photonics for their advice in this study.
 Table of contents

Abstract..……………………………………………………………..……… I
Acknowledgment……………………………………………………..…....II

1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Specifications of the laser diode driver ......................................................................................................... 2
3. Design of the laser diode driver and the theory of operation ...................................................................... 3
3.1 Modeling the laser diode FLD5F6CX-J ..................................................................................................... 3
3.2 The laser diode driver circuit and the simulation.................................................................................... 4
3.2.1 Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) and Peak Power and Average Power................................... 7
4. Layout of the laser diode driver .................................................................................................................... 8
5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 10
6. References ................................................................................................................................................... 11

1
1. Introduction

A pulsed laser is a system which will emit light in the form of optical pulses and that system has a driver
circuit to deliver current pulse to laser diode to emit light. There are numerous methods to achieve laser
pulsing, but the end result follows the same principles. A pulsed laser periodically emits pulses of energy in
ultra-short time duration. These periodic pulses, or pulse train, can be seen in Figure1 where τ0 is a pulse
1
period (repetition rate = ). The duration, or pulse width (τL) for laser diodes can range from 10’s of
𝜏0
nanoseconds (10−9seconds) to 10’s of picoseconds (10−12seconds). In this paper, it will be shown the
design of the high speed laser diode driver and the theory of the operation and it characteristics.

Figure 1: Pulses emitted by a pulsed laser driver

2. Specifications of the High speed laser diode driver

Trigger input Single ended signalling- TTL 3.3V Trigger

Pulsed laser current adjustable up to 90 mA
Laser Output Pulse width adjustable from 60 ps to 2 ns
Repetition rate 40 MHz
Control Trimpot for adjustable bias voltage
Power Supply 12 V - DC
500 ps to 1 ns
Rise/Fall Times
Actual rise/fall times depend on laser electrical parasitic

Table 1: Specifications of the High speed laser diode driver

2
3. Design of the laser diode driver and the theory of operation

3.1 Modeling the laser diode FLD5F6CX-J

The pulsed laser diode driver has been design to drive the laser diode FLD5F6CX-I. Therefore it has to get
modeling of that laser diode to use it at the design of the pulsed laser diode driver and then it can be see
the characteristics of the output pulse from the laser diode. Modeling of the laser diode is done by
extracting the parameters of the laser diode from the datasheet and then inserted these parameters in a
diode model in a schematic in ADS and got the simulation of IV-characteristics of the laser diode as shown
in figure 2. The characteristics of the forward current vs optical output power of the laser diode has been
found in datasheet of the diode and it can also be seen in figure 2.

A)
9E-1

1E-1 m1
1E-2
I_Probe1.i, A

1E-3

1E-4
m1
1E-5 Vf=1.600
I_Probe1.i=33.14mA
1E-6

1E-7

1E-8

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0

Vf
B) C)

Figure 2: A) The schematic of the laser diode model in ADS. B) The IV-Characteristics simulation of the
schematic. C) Forward current vs optical output power of the laser diode from FLD5F6CX-J datasheet.

3
From the characteristics of the laser diode model, it can be seen that the laser diode turns ON when the
voltage drop reaches 1.6 V and the forward current is above 15 mA. Then the laser diode starts to emit
optical power and the power increases linearly with the current. So the pulsed laser diode driver should be
designed to deliver a pulse with current above thresholds current 15 mA and above 1.6 V to make the laser
diode to emit light.

3.2 The laser diode driver circuit and the simulation

The pulsed laser diode driver is based on Radio Frequency (RF) bipolar transistors, which generate very
short electrical pulses injected in the laser diode, diode1. The simplified schematic is given on figure 3. The
NPN wideband transistors Q1 have 7 GHz transition frequency and 200 mA maximum collector current. The
PNP wideband transistor Q3 has 5 GHz transition frequency and -25 mA maximum collector current. The
NPN wideband transistors Q5 have 5.5 GHz transition frequency and 300 mA maximum collector current.
The PNP transistors Q6 and Q2 are current mirror used as constant current source that deliver constant 15
mA to laser diode. The benefit of that current source is to make the laser diode always close to its threshold
current value. Then the forward current of the laser diode increases linearly above threshold value faster
when the diode gets pulsed current. By this way, the laser diode switches faster to ON state and emits light.

At static operating point, the transistor Q1 is cut-off, and then its collector is biased to Vdc=12 V. The
transistor Q3 is cut-off as its base-emitter junction is not polarized, then its collector is biased to ground.
The transistor Q5 forms a buffer with a common collector amplifier configuration and it deliver ON laser
diode current.

When a TTL trigger signal (3.3V) is applied to the circuit input (see figure 3), the transistor Q1 is getting
saturated, and then its collector voltage is changing fast from Vdc to ground. A rapid voltage ramp
“V_ramp” (see figure 3) is present at the input of the C1 –R4 cell.

This cell forms a high pass filter with frequency cut off = 1/(2*pi*C1*R4) and acts as a differential operator.
So the rapid ramp generated by the transistor Q1 is differentiated. A negative electrical pulse “V_diff” (see
figure 3) is obtained at the output of this cell. Its amplitude depends on the slew rate of the voltage ramp. It
is the reason why the saturation of the transistor Q1 must be fast enough, and then the slew rate of the
trigger signal must be greater than 1V/ns to ensure a fast enough switching of this transistor. There is also
variable resistor 90 Ohm to 180 Ohm to ensure enough biasing of the transistor Q1 when the Trigger signal
pulse width changes from 60 ps to 2 ns.

4
 The negative pulse is applied to the base of the transistor Q3 which becomes conductive to saturation. Its
collector voltage changes fast from ground to Vdc. In reality, the negative pulse is too short for the
transistor Q3 to be completely saturated, that is why its collector voltage increases and then decreases
immediately. A positive pulse is then obtained “V_pulse” (see figure 3). This positive pulse is applied to the
input of the buffer amplifier Q5. This last stage allows driving directly the laser diode with the
“V_buffered_pulse” voltage (see figure 3) with the sufficient current (which is typically about 100 mA) as
the transistor Q3 cannot directly furnish such a current. The voltage amplitude of the pulses is above the
forward voltage of the laser diode to make the laser at diode ON state.

A)

3.5 12.5
0.2
3.0
12.0 0.0
2.5 -0.2
V_input_TTL, V

V_ramp, V

2.0 11.5 -0.4

V_diff, V

1.5 -0.6
11.0
-0.8
1.0
10.5 -1.0
0.5
-1.2
0.0 10.0
450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 -1.4
450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540
time, nsec time, nsec
3.5
time, nsec
100
m3 m4 m1
time=469.8nsec
3.0 80 I_Probe1.i=15.09mA
I_Probe1.i, mA

m2
V_pulse, V

2.5 60
time=471.9nsec
V_pulse=1.229 V
2.0 40
m3
time=457.6nsec
1.5 20 m1 V_pulse=3.261
m2 Peak
m4
1.0 0
time=457.8nsec
I_Probe1.i=90.67mA
450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540
time, nsec time, nsec

B)

5
 C)

3.5 12.5
0.5
3.0
12.0
2.5 0.0
V_input_TTL, V

V_ramp, V

2.0 11.5
V_diff, V

1.5 -0.5
11.0

1.0
10.5 -1.0
0.5

0.0 10.0
450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 -1.5
450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540
time, nsec time, nsec
2.2
time, nsec
50
m4 m1
m3 45 time=469.8nsec
2.0 I_Probe1.i=0.015
40
m2
I_Probe1.i, mA

35 time=471.9nsec
V_pulse, V

1.8
V_pulse=1.224
30
1.6 m3
25 time=456.0nsec
20
V_pulse=2.050
1.4 m1 Peak
15
m2 m4
1.2 10
time=456.0nsec
I_Probe1.i=45.76mA
450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540
time, nsec time, nsec

D)

Figure 3: A) The schematic of the laser diode driver when pulse width TTL signal is 2 ns. B) The simulation of
the schematic at 2 ns pulse width by using ADS. C) The schematic of the laser diode driver when the pulse
width TTL signal is 60 ps. D) The simulation of the schematic at 60 ps pulse width by using ADS.

The results of the simulation in figure 3 shows that the laser diode has voltage drop 1.22 V and current
flowing close to threshold current 15 mA at Off state. At ON state (pulse duration), the laser diode emits
light and its forward current increases above threshold current 15 mA and its voltage drop above forward
voltage 1.6 V.

6
 3.5 12.5

3.0
12.0
2.5

V_input_TTL, V

V_ramp, V
11.5
2.0

3.2.1 Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM)

1.5
and Peak Power and Average Power 11.0

1.0
10.5
Now, the average power of the pulsed laser0.5 can be found from the simulation results. For the TTL trigger

signal 2 ns at Figure 3-A, the FWHM can be0.0found to be 458.8 - 457.1 = 1.7 ns as shown in figure 4. 10.0
450 460 470 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 450 460 470

time, nsec
3.5 100
m5 m3 m4
time= 457.1nsec
V_pulse=2.244 V 3.0 80

m6

I_Probe1.i, mA
time= 458.8nsec
V_pulse, V

2.5 60
V_pulse=2.243 V m5 m6
m2 2.0 40
time= 468.3nsec
V_pulse=1.225 V
1.5 20
m3 m2
time= 457.6nsec
V_pulse=3.261 1.0 0
Peak 450 460 470 450 460

time, nsec

Figure 4: Measured FWHM for TTL trigger signal 2 ns.

The peak power, Ppeak of the delivered pulse can be calculated by using the maximum current through the
laser diode and the maximum voltage drop on the laser diode during the pulse duration. Then from the
figure 3-B-(V_pulse and I_probe1 graph), the maximum current is 90.67 mA and the maximum voltage drop
is 3.261 V. Then the peak power can be found by using equation 1.

Ppeak = V ˑ I = 3.261 ˑ 90.67 ˑ 10−3 = 0.295 W (1)

The energy of the pulse is:

Energy = Ppeak ˑ τL = 0.295 ˑ 1.7 ˑ 10−9 = 501.5 ˑ 10−12 J (2)

Then the average power or continues output power CW of the pulsed laser can be calculated by using
equation 3.

Pavg = Energy ˑ repetition rate = 501.5 ˑ 10−12 ˑ 40 ˑ 106 = 20 mW (3)

The laser diode FLD5F6CX-J has maximum CW power 12 mW and from the calculation, it gives CW output
power 20 mW. Then we reduce the Vdc in the circuit to 11 V to reduce the power dissipated on the laser
diode below 12 mW.

For finding the average power/ CW output power of the pulsed laser at TTL trigger 60 ps, the procedure of
the calculation is the same.

7
4. Layout of the laser diode driver

The layout of the laser diode driver is done in ADS. First, package size of the real components in the laser
diode driver circuit is chosen and then the circuits results is verified with simulation in ADS because the real
components is not like ideal components, it have parasitic components that change the circuit’s
specifications. The schematic of the circuit with real components and its simulation in ADS can be shown in
figure 5.

3.5
m1
3.0 time=507.4nsec
I_Probe1.i=170.8mA
2.5
V_input_TTL, V

2.0 m2
time=490.0nsec
1.5 V_pulse=1.186 V
m4
1.0 time=490.0nsec
m3 I_Probe1.i=13.68mA
time=507.4nsec
0.5 V_pulse=5.246
Peak
0.0
490 495 500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540

time, nsec
6 180 m1
m3 160
5 140

120
I_Probe1.i, mA
V_pulse, V

4
100

80
3
60

2 40

m2 20 m4

1 0
490 495 500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540 490 495 500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540

time, nsec time, nsec

Figure 5: The schematic and its simulation of the laser diode driver with real components

The next step is to convert the schematic to layout by using momentum in ADS, where every component in
the schematic is transferred to the layout and connected with other components in the layout with traces.
Then after the all components in the layout are connected with traces, the traces converted to transmission
line-Microstrip as shown in figure 6.

8
Figure 6: Layout of the laser diode driver − Top figure is the layer with components and transmissions lines
− Bottom figure is the layer with only transmissions lines that connected the components

From the layout window in ADS as shown in figure 6, the new schematic of the laser diode driver circuit is
generated in ADS. The new schematic has all the transmissions lines that have been drawn in the layout to
connect the components as shown in figure 7.

Figure 7: The schematic of layout of the laser diode driver

9
Then the final step in the layout process is to verify the circuit of the laser diode driver after the layout by
implementing of simulation on the schematic that is shown in figure 7. The simulation is shown below.

3.5 m4
m1
3.0 time= 509.8nsec
V_pulse=2.934
2.5 Peak
V_input_TTL, V

m2
2.0 time= 500.4nsec
V_pulse=1.207 V
1.5

1.0
m3
time= 500.2nsec
0.5
I_Probe1.i=14.41mA
m4
0.0
time= 507.0nsec
490 495 500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540 V_input_TTL=3.300 V
3.0 m1 time, nsec
80

70

2.5
60
I_Probe1.i, mA
V_pulse, V

50
2.0
40

30
1.5
m2 20
m3
1.0 10
490 495 500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540 490 495 500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540

time, nsec time, nsec

Figure 8: Simulation results of the laser diode driver after layout in ADS – (TTL input signal with Pulse width
2 ns is V_input_TTL) – (Voltage drop over laser diode is V_pulse and the current that runs in the laser diode
is I_Probe1)

5. Conclusion

The design of the high speed laser diode driver could achieve some of the goals that have been set in the
research. As shown in the simulation section 3.2, the laser diode driver had not capability to deliver pulse
width in picosecond and it could only deliver pulse width in nanosecond to the laser diode. The final design
of the laser diode driver after layout could achieve output pulse with 2 ns pulse width and 20 mW
maximum optical output power with maximum output voltage drop 3 volt over the laser diode FLD5F6CX-J.
Also it could achieve that the driver works for the rise time between 700 ps and 2 ns for TTL-input signal.

For future work, the laser diode driver could not deliver a pulse width with 60 ps, this is because the
transition time of the transistors in the circuit is not fast enough for delivering short pulse width of
picosecond and it needs to redesign the laser diode driver with new transistors and it will be MOSFET
transistors that have very small input capacitance to reduce the time of charging and discharging at
switching between the states ON and Off.

10
 6. References

[1] Uhring, Wilfried & Virginie Zint, Chantal & Bartringer, Jeremy. A low cost high repetition rate
picosecond laser diode pulse generator. Phase Laboratory UPR292 CNRS – France. Article in Optical
Engineering- 2004

[2] Highland Technology. Model T165 Picosecond to nanosecond Laser Diode Pulser. Technical Manual-
2015

[3] Schmid, Bob. An introduction to Pulsed-current Laser Diode Drivers. DEI Scientific by IXYS Colorado
designs-2014

[4] Morgott, Stefan. Operation the Pulsed Laser Diode SPL PLxx. Osram Opto Semiconductors. Application
note- 2004

[5] Beaverton, Oreg. Laser Diode Driver. Tektronix, Inc. United State Patent-Agoston

11

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