Laser diode driver circuits and methods of operating thereof

A method of operating a laser diode, the method comprising:

• having a circuit comprising a fly capacitor comprising a first end and a second end, and the laser diode comprising an anode and a cathode, the anode being coupled to the first end of the fly capacitor;
• charging the first end of the fly capacitor to a first potential;
• generating a current pulse by discharging the fly capacitor through the laser diode by driving the laser diode in forward bias;
• determining a magnitude of the current pulse by setting a programmable current source of a current control driver that mirrors a charging current of a decoupling capacitor that is charged in parallel with the fly capacitor and discharged in series with the fly capacitor while the fly capacitor is discharged to generate the current pulse;
• and
• recharging the first end of the fly capacitor to the first potential and driving the laser diode in reverse bias.

A circuit comprising:

• a current mirror coupled to a supply voltage node;
• a programmable current source coupled to a first path of the current mirror;
• a decoupling capacitor coupled to a second path of the current mirror;
• an output node coupled between the decoupling capacitor and the current mirror on the second path;
• a laser diode coupled to the output node, wherein the circuit is configurable to provide a fixed current pulse through the laser diode to emit light by setting the programmable current source and is further configurable to provide a reverse bias to the laser diode;
• and
• a fly capacitor comprising a first end coupled to an anode of the laser diode, wherein the decoupling capacitor and the fly capacitor are charged in a parallel arrangement and discharged in a serial arrangement to provide the fixed current pulse.