A 25-A peak current and 7.4-NS pulse-width laser driver using an avalanche transistor and switches for lidar applications

• Published in: Microwave and optical technology letters 2016-11, Vol.58 (11), p.2540-2543
• Main Authors: Cho, Hyun-Chang, Choi, Hyun-Yong, Kwon, Won-Bae, Lim, Young-Cheol
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulators; avalanche transistor; Avalanche transistors; Collectors; Emitters; High current; Lidar; light detection and ranging; pulsed laser driver; Pulsed lasers; short optical pulse; switch; Switches
• ISSN: 0895-2477; 1098-2760
• DOI: 10.1002/mop.30094

ABSTRACT We propose and design a pulsed laser driver using an avalanche transistor and switches for LIDAR applications. The avalanche transistor is used to generate short optical pulses using high current flowing from the collector to the emitter due to the avalanche effect. The switches are used to make the peak amplitude and pulse‐width of the generated short pulse higher and narrower, respectively. The collector of the transistor is disconnected from the operating voltage of the avalanche transistor by switches when a high current flows from the collector to the emitter. This high current flows only from the capacitor connected to the collector to the emitter and leading to more rapid capacitor discharge. Using these phenomena in the proposed pulsed laser driver, a shorter pulse with higher peak amplitude and narrower pulse‐width is generated, as compared to the pulsed laser driver using a single avalanche transistor. The proposed pulsed laser driver is analyzed through both simulation and experiment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2540–2543, 2016