Claims
- 1. A method for maintaining the temperature of a laser diode located in a laser package, said method comprising the steps of:
monitoring a photocurrent generated by a photodiode that collects light from a back-facet of the laser diode located in the laser package while maintaining a constant bias level to the laser diode; and heating or cooling the laser diode to maintain a substantially constant photocurrent, thereby maintaining the temperature of the laser diode at a substantially constant value.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said laser package is an uncooled laser package.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said uncooled laser package is a coaxial can laser package.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of heating or cooling the laser diode is accomplished with a thermo-electric cooler.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said thermo-electric cooler is a peltier module.
- 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of heating or cooling the laser diode includes the step of applying a feedback signal to the thermoelectric cooler for adjusting a degree of heating or cooling supplied to the laser package in response to a measured value of the photocurrent.
- 7. An apparatus for maintaining the temperature of a laser diode located in a laser package, said laser diode including a photodiode that generates a photocurrent by collecting light from a back-facet of the laser diode, said apparatus comprising:
a controller monitoring the photocurrent generated by the photodiode while a constant bias level to the laser diode is maintained; and a thermo-electric cooler, responsive to a signal received from the controller, heating or cooling the laser diode to maintain a substantially constant photocurrent, thereby maintaining the temperature of the laser diode at a substantially constant value.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said laser package is an uncooled laser package.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said uncooled laser package is a coaxial can laser package.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said thermoelectric cooler is a peltier module.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a heat sink in which said laser package is housed.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a thermally conducting clamp mechanically securing said laser package to the thermo-electric cooler.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an insulating foam substantially filling the heat sink.
- 14. The laser module of claim 13 wherein said insulating foam is an expanding polyurethane foam.
- 15. The laser module of claim 12 further comprising a premolded insulating covering located over the laser package and the thermally conducting clamp.
- 16. A method for determining the temperature of a laser diode located in a laser package, said method comprising the steps of:
monitoring a photocurrent generated by a photodiode that collects light from a back-facet of the laser diode located in the laser package while maintaining a constant bias level to the laser diode; determining a laser output power based on the photocurrent; and determining the temperature of the laser diode from the laser output power.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said laser package is an uncooled laser package.
- 18. The method of claim 17 wherein said uncooled laser package is a coaxial can laser package.
- 19. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of heating or cooling the laser diode is accomplished with a thermo-electric cooler.
- 20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of heating or cooling the laser diode to maintain a substantially constant photocurrent, thereby maintaining the temperature of the laser diode at a substantially constant value.
- 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said thermoelectric cooler is a peltier module.
STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/308,315, filed Jul. 27, 2001, and entitled “Low Cost Analog Laser Module”.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60308315 |
Jul 2001 |
US |