• Acta Photonica Sinica
  • Vol. 44, Issue 12, 1213001 (2015)
FU Li1、*, DANG Jing-min1, MIAO Chun-zhuang1, CHEN Chen2, ZHENG Chuan-tao1, and WANG Yi-ding1
Author Affiliations
  • 1[in Chinese]
  • 2[in Chinese]
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    DOI: 10.3788/gzxb20154412.1213001 Cite this Article
    FU Li, DANG Jing-min, MIAO Chun-zhuang, CHEN Chen, ZHENG Chuan-tao, WANG Yi-ding. Development of Driver for Room-temperature Continuous Mid-infrared Quantum Cascade Laser[J]. Acta Photonica Sinica, 2015, 44(12): 1213001 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    In order to satisfy the capability of driving room-temperature continuous mid-infrared quantum cascade laser based on the mid-infrared wavelength modulation spectroscopy, a novel quantum cascade laser driver was designed and implemented under experimental evaluation. Firstly, a direct-current, a repetitive ramp and a sinusoid were generated to tune drive current and to produce a modulation in the wavelength of quantum cascade lasers via a function generation module. Secondly, a comprehensive and high-speed (the response time is about 40 ns) over-current protective circuit was developed in conjunction with the deep voltage negative-feedback theory, which guaranteed the laser operation reliability and improved the stability of drive current. Again, a complete temperature analog control circuit and a proportional-integral-differential software algorithm were combined to simplify the circuit structure and to control and stabilize the laser temperature effectively, which prevented the drift of the laser output wavelength and the fluctuations of the emission power caused by the temperature change. Via the use of the driver, driving tests were carried out on a mid-infrared quantum cascade laser with center wavelength at 4.76 μm, which was fabricated by institute of semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Experimental results demonstrated that current regulation linearity of the drive power system is 0.0068%, the stability of drive current during long time (240 h) is 4.99×10-5, the stability of light power is 5.07×10-4, the temperature stability is 0.01℃ and the stable control process is 17s,the drift of wavelength at peak within 240 h is ±0.02 nm when drive current of the quantum cascade lasers is 330 mA and the temperature is 21℃.
    FU Li, DANG Jing-min, MIAO Chun-zhuang, CHEN Chen, ZHENG Chuan-tao, WANG Yi-ding. Development of Driver for Room-temperature Continuous Mid-infrared Quantum Cascade Laser[J]. Acta Photonica Sinica, 2015, 44(12): 1213001
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