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Which driver is right for you?

Choosing a driver for your photonic device can be a difficult task. Though we hope that our drivers are the best fit, there are several parameters to keep in mind.

  • How much current does each input of my device require?
  • How much voltage is required to achieve this current?
  • What is the resistance of my on-chip heaters?
  • What precision do I need?
  • Does my device care about the direction of current flow?
  • How many inputs does my device have that need to be driven?

Avoiding common-ground electrical cross-talk

Complex photonic devices require many electrical connections. A quick way to save a lot of connections is to use a common ground wire for several electro-optic devices (e.g. heaters, or photodiodes). For N devices, this saves N – 1 connections, which can translate to significant reductions in wire-bonding or multi-point probe size, and ultimately to savings in time and money.

Continue reading Avoiding common-ground electrical cross-talk

How to use a push-type output

Push-type outputThe push-type, class-B, or open-emitter, amplifier output stage offers two main benefits: it can output 0 V when powered from a single supply, and it can drive very large currents. This stage features in our Q8 driver,  which uses MOSFET output elements. The basic structure of a push-type output stage is shown. Continue reading How to use a push-type output