
M
S ingle +5V, Fully Integrated,
1.25Gbps Laser Diode Driver
_______________________________________________________________________________________
7
current mirror has a gain of approximately 20. Keep
the voltages at OUT+ and OUT- above 2.2V to prevent
saturation.
The overshoot mirror sets the bias in the input buffer
stage (Figure 2). Reducing this current slows the input
stage and reduces overshoot in the modulation signal.
At the same time, the peak-to-peak output swing of the
input buffer stage is reduced. Careful design must be
used to ensure that the buffer stage can switch the out-
put stage completely. The input swing required to com-
pletely switch the output stage depends on both
R
OSADJ
and the modulation current. See Allowable
R
OSADJ
Range vs. Modulation Current and Modulation
Current vs. Differential Input Signal graphs in the
Typical Operating Characteristics.
Failure to ensure that the output stage switches com-
pletely results in a loss of modulation current (and
extinction ratio). In addition, if the modulation port does
not switch completely off, the modulation current will
contribute to the bias current, and may complicate
module assembly.
Automatic Power Control
The automatic power control (APC) feature allows an
optical transmitter to maintain constant power, despite
changes in laser efficiency with temperature or age. The
APC feature requires the use of a monitor photodiode.
The APC circuit incorporates the laser diode, the moni-
tor photodiode, the PIN set current mirror, a transcon-
ductance amplifier, the bias set current mirror, and the
laser fail comparator (Figure 1). Light produced by the
laser diode generates an average current in the monitor
photodiode. This current flows into the MAX3261’s IPIN
input. The PIN set current mirror draws current away
from the IPIN node. When the current into the IPIN node
equals the current drawn away by IPINSET, the node
voltage is set by the
3
/
5
x V
CC
reference of the transcon-
ductance amplifier. When the monitor current exceeds
IPINSET, the IPIN node voltage will be forced higher. If
the monitor current decreases, the IPIN node voltage is
decreased. In either case, the voltage change is ampli-
fied by the transconductance amplifier, and results in a
feedback current at the IBIASFB node. Under normal
APC operation, IBIASFB is summed with IBIASSET, and
the laser bias level is adjusted to maintain constant out-
put power. This feedback process continues until the
monitor-diode current equals IPINSET.
If the monitor-diode current is sufficiently less than
IPINSET (i.e., the laser stops functioning), the voltage on
V
CC
OUTPUTS
280
280
9
400
9
2(I
IOSADJ
)
I
IMODSET
2(I
IOSADJ
)
INPUT BUFFER
OUTPUT STAGE
MAX3261
I
Figure 2. MAX3261 Modulation Driver (Simplified)
ENB+
DATA OUT
(LOAD = 1300nm
LASER AT OUT-)
2
μ
s/div
Figure 3. Enable/Disable Operation