High-speed bias-free semiconductor laser diode drive circuit for high-speed digital communication

摘要

The length of the tail which results in an optical output from a laser diode (205) after the laser diode is no longer being driven is reduced or eliminated by a laser diode driver (201) with a tail eliminator (307). More specifically, the laser diode driver includes an energy drainage path (307) that is activated when packet communication is over. In one embodiment of the invention, the terminals of the laser diode are shortcircuited (by 307) to provide the energy drainage path. In another embodiment of the invention, the laser diode is reverse biased, so that charges stored in the laser diode are combined with charges which are provided thereto. Advantageously, the tail emission is substantially eliminated. IMAGE