High-speed laser array driver

A method for controlling a laser the method comprising:

• providing an integrated high-speed current driver in an integrated circuit;
• driving an array of lasers from the integrated high-speed current driver;
• accepting laser light from one of the array of lasers in a photodetector;
• determining a maximum and a minimum level of light received from the laser that is providing light for the photodetector;
• using the maximum and the minimum level of light received from the laser to produce a modulation feedback signal and a bias feedback signal;
• using the modulation feedback signal and the bias feedback signal to produce a modulation and a bias signal;
• and
• using the modulation signal and the bias signal to set the modulation and bias in the integrated high-speed current driver.

An apparatus for driving a laser the apparatus comprising:

• a current sink;
• a differential pair of PNP transistors, each transistor having a base, emitter and collector the bases being coupled together, and the emitters being coupled to a supply voltage Vcc,
• a differential pair of NPN transistors, each transistor having a base, emitter and collector the emitters being joined at a junction with the current sink, the bases providing the input across which and an input signal is developed, and
• a load junction of the collector of one of the PNP transistors and one of the collectors of one of the NPN transistors that is coupled to a laser load.

A laser driver for driving a laser, the laser driver comprising:

• a first control circuit for receiving power from a power supply and for providing current to drive a first laser;
• and
• a switch located between the power supply and the control circuit,
• wherein the switch is used to control the current provided to the laser.