Method and device for determining the output power of a semiconductor laser diode

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and device for determining the output power of a semiconductor laser diode being operated with a diode current. A defined measuring current, which is less than the threshold current of the semiconductor laser diode, is conducted in a conducting direction through the semiconductor laser diode. The forward voltage drop across the semiconductor laser diode is measured, and the temperature of the laser-active region of the semiconductor laser diode is determined from the measured forward voltage by using at least one calibration curve. The invention makes a simple and precise determination of the output voltage possible without requiring an additional measuring device, for example, a monitor diode.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.