Newbie question: Voltage and Current, which is imp

Hi

Please bear with me with the question. I have searched around in the forum but none directly address this question ...

If I have a laser diode rate for, say, 500 mW, can doc says I must not drive it more than 300 mA, can I drive it with a constant current driver with a range of voltages?

In this case, my most concern, is that the current going into the LD must be kept at and below 300mA. It doesn't matter if the voltage is 3 V, 5V or 10 V?

Is my thinking correct?

Will someone shed some light into this?

THANKS!!!!!

Re: Newbie question: Voltage and Current, which is

Current is everything, You build a constant current driver, supply it with almost any voltage above what the regulator and LD combined require and it will work OK....... the voltage will take care of itself.

Regards rog8811

Re: Newbie question: Voltage and Current, which is

rog8811 said:

Current is everything, You build a constant current driver, supply it with almost any voltage above what the regulator and LD combined require and it will work OK....... the voltage will take care of itself.

Regards rog8811

Click to expand...

The only thing I would add to this is that the voltage must be in the range of the driver. Each type/make of driver will have a minimum and maximum voltage it can use. To low (as rog pointed out above) and the laser won't work. To high and the components on the driver will fry. For example, the flexdrive. If you have less than 2.5V the laser won't work. If you have more than 5.5V the driver will fry.

Peace,
dave

Re: Newbie question: Voltage and Current, which is

Thanks, rog8811 and daguin for the explanations!

Have you guys heard of the term 'compliance voltage'?

I recently bought a constant current laser driver (ILX Lightwave 3207B) and it's specs include a compliance voltage, say, 7 volts

Does it mean I can use it to drive any laser diode that is under 7 Volts?

Thanks!