LD1100 In Stock

The ThorLabs LD1100 is a state-of-the-art laser diode driver that offers precise control and adjustment over laser output. With an onboard 12-turn trim pot, pin-programmable feedback gain, ON/OFF control input, and current monitor output, this driver is designed to support common laser anode and cathode pin configurations. Measuring just 1" x 1.5", the LD1100 is a compact device that can be easily embedded into custom designs. The LD1100 has a compliance voltage of approximately 6.5V when used with a 12V power supply, and all input and output signals are provided through a 12-pin SIP connector for seamless integration into printed circuit designs.

The LD1100 features a high-quality DC power supply that offers excellent turn-on and turn-off transient suppression, ensuring optimal performance and protection for the laser. It is recommended to avoid using switching supplies as they tend to have higher transient noise that can couple into the laser output, as well as unregulated DC supplies. The LD1100 can also be operated off a battery, but the usable lifetime of the battery will be limited by the laser operating current and battery capacity.

The LD1100 is capable of driving lasers up to 250mA in constant-power mode, using the internal monitor photodiode for a feedback signal into a proportional-integral feedback loop that stabilizes the output power to within 0.01%. To accommodate a wide range of laser diodes, the feedback gain can be set by jumpering any combination of the 5 gain setting resistor pins to the power supply common. This allows lasers with monitor currents over a range from 5 µA to 5 mA to be used with a single driver.

The LD1100 uses a proportional-integral type (PI) feedback circuit to maintain an extremely stable laser output. The laser power is stabilized by varying the laser drive current in response to the monitor photodiode feedback, compensating for changes in laser efficiency due to thermal and aging effects. Additionally, the LD1100 has an external ON / OFF control which enables the laser output to be set to a reduced level, activated by pulling the pin to 0V using a mechanical switch or transistor. It's important to note that this pin must be allowed to float when the laser is operating, as it is internally pulled up to VCC through a 2 K resistor. The normal voltage on this pin with the laser operating is 2.5V.