Laser diode protecting circuit

摘要

Disclosed is a laser diode protecting circuit adapted to prevent a laser diode from producing an excessive emission when the laser diode is driven at low temperature, thereby assuring that the laser diode will not be damaged or degraded in terms of its characteristic. When the laser diode is started at low temperature, a laser diode protecting circuit has a power monitor circuit for monitoring backward power of the laser diode and a laser diode current limiting circuit for limiting the laser diode current when the backward power becomes equal to the set power. When the laser diode temperature subsequently rises and the backward power falls below the set power, an automatic current control circuit performs automatic current control in such a manner that the laser diode current attains a set current value. Alternatively, a temperature monitor circuit monitors the temperature of the laser diode and the laser diode current limiting circuit limits the laser diode current when the monitored temperature of the laser diode is less than the set temperature. When the laser diode temperature exceeds the set temperature, the automatic current control circuit performs automatic current control in such a manner that the laser diode attains the set current value.