Laser driver pulse shaping control
AssigneeAnalog Devices International Unlimited Company
InventorsJonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz, Davide Portaluppi
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Abstract
Time-of-flight (ToF) systems which use pulsed laser diodes, are required to measure distances with high level of precision and control. The present disclosure provides a method and a corresponding system for controlling a temporal response of a laser diode, in particular pulsed laser diodes. In particular, the present disclosure provides a method and a related system for driving a laser diode so as to obtain predominantly a peak pulse response while minimising or completely avoiding the post-peak response in a temporal response of the laser diode.
Claims20
A method of determining a duration, Tdr, for a laser drive signal, to minimise post-peak response in a temporal response of a laser diode driven by the laser drive signal, the method comprising:
- iteratively:
- applying a test laser drive signal having a test duration, Tt, to the laser diode;
- and
- monitoring an output of a photodetector, wherein the output is indicative of an energy of a light pulse output by the laser diode in response to the application of the test drive signal;
- varying the test duration, Tt, of the test drive signal with successive iterations;
- and
- determining the duration, Tdr, based on the monitoring of the output of the photodetector in successive iterations.
A control unit for determining a duration, Tdr, for a laser drive signal, to minimise post-peak power in a temporal response of a laser diode driven by the laser drive signal, and comprising an input for coupling to an output of a photodetector, and an output for coupling to an input of the laser diode, wherein the control unit is configured to:
- iteratively:
- apply a test laser drive signal having a test duration, Tt, to the laser diode;
- and
- monitor an output of the photodetector, wherein the output is indicative of an energy of a light pulse output by the laser diode in response to the application of the test drive signal;
- vary the test duration, Tt, of the test drive signal with successive iterations;
- and
- determine the duration, Tdr, based on the monitoring of the output of the photodetector in successive iterations.
A system for determining a duration, Tdr, for a laser drive signal, to minimise post-peak response in a temporal response of a laser diode driven by the laser drive signal, the system comprising:
- a laser diode;
- a photodetector;
- a control unit to the laser diode and the photodetector, wherein the control unit is configured to:
- iteratively:
- apply a test laser drive signal having a test duration, Tt, to the laser diode;
- and
- monitor an output of a photodetector, wherein the output is indicative of an energy of a light pulse output by the laser diode in response to the application of the test drive signal;
- vary the test duration, Tt, of the test drive signal with successive iterations;
- and
- determine the duration, Tdr, based on the monitoring of the output of the photodetector in successive iterations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.