Laser diode driving circuit

摘要

A driving circuit for a cathode-grounded type laser diode using NPN transistors is arranged to operate at high speed and to be less influenced by supply voltage fluctuations. A first NPN transistor is connected at a collector to a plus power source and at an emitter to the anode of the laser diode through a first resistor, and is supplied at a base with an externally given first control voltage. A second NPN transistor is connected at a collector to the anode of the laser diode and at an emitter to the ground through a second resistor. A logic buffer is provided for feeding a buffered output of an input data to the base of the second NPN transistor. The logic buffer is supplied as a supply voltage thereto with an externally given second control voltage. The first and second NPN transistors operate to control a current of the laser diode such that the laser diode is responsive to the input data for emitting a light switched between a first power determined by the first control voltage and a second power determined by the second control voltage.