[Laser] Driver circuits? ZD1954 10mW

[David D. Rea]

Hi Kevin - 

You can get as complicated as you want with laser driver circuits,
depending on the sensitivity of the diode, and in many cases how much it
costs. I've built complicated feedback-controlled instrumentation-grade
drivers for diodes that cost hundreds of dollars apiece, used in
holography. Our fellow laser board member Andy, K0SM, has had plenty of
success driving infrared diodes using constant current supplies; but his
diodes have a very wide operating current range.

Could you give us a bit more information about your diode... such as:

1) Do you have the datasheet, and if so what are the Iop and Ith values?
2) What is your intended use?
3) Do you need all 10mW, or would 7 or 8mW do?

73
Dave K2THZ

On Thu, 2003-12-18 at 23:34, Kevin Forbes wrote:
> Hi folks, I am requesting a bit of help regarding finding a suitable circuit 
> to drive a laser diode that I have recently come across purchased and would 
> like to experiment with. I purchased it from Jaycar Electronics in 
> Australia, it s a 10 mW ZD1954,655nm TO18 supplied with a collimating lense. 
> I did read somewhere that the supplied lense is not much chop, anyone 
> support this? Should I or is it O.K. to make a driver circuit like the 
> following, a variable voltage regulator at 2.3 volts in line with another 
> voltage regulator wired up as a current limiter for 30-45 mA operating, 60 
> mA MAX? Oh, and bye the way, I'd better ask how to utilise the built in 
> photo diode properly while I'm at it.
> Cheers folks and thanks in advance. Kevin Forbes, VK3UKF.
> 
> _________________________________________________________________
> Hot chart ringtones and polyphonics. Go to  
> http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilemania/default.asp
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Laser mailing list
> Laser@mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/laser