High current pulse amplifier for driving laser diodes

Genia Photonics, Inc.公司开发和制造一系列基于光纤的组件和激光系统，这些组件和系统需要可编程的光信号波长，用于医疗，工业和国防应用。Genia在这个项目中的一个主要兴趣是，他们的技术最初在光学增益光纤（OGF）和电光调制器（EOM）支持的范围内提供波长，现在正被推动到提供超出OGF可用波长的波长。因此，Genia希望用半导体光放大器（SOA）方法取代OGF-EOM方法。这将为他们提供更宽的波长范围，显着改善调谐范围，以及显着降低成本。作为SOA方法的一部分，Genia需要开发一种用于驱动激光二极管的高电流脉冲发生器系统，该系统提供1ns的脉冲，最高可达10ns，电流驱动能力高达2a。在不久的将来，该脉冲产生系统将用于该公司的一种基于激光的产品。这些类型的产品的第二代（也计划在不久的将来）将需要更窄宽度的脉冲产生，即在100皮秒的数量级上，可变到几纳秒。本项目的目标是开发第一个基于SOA的系统，作为第一个产品开发的一部分。Genia希望这方面的研究和开发有利于后期第二代脉冲发生器的开发，即促进电路集成到脉冲发生器系统中，培训该业务部门研发所需的高素质人才，并最大限度地减少技术风险和开发时间。该项目将帮助一家年轻的加拿大公司，但拥有非常先进的技术产品，在高科技激光系统业务领域中占据更强的地位，这对加拿大公司的经济价值和加拿大工程师的高科技就业具有有趣的潜力。

The company Genia Photonics, Inc. develops and manufactures a series of fiber based components and laser systems that require programmable optical signal wavelengths, and that are intended for medical, industrial and defense applications. A principal interest for Genia in this project is that their technology which originally delivered wavelengths in the range supported by optical gain fibers (OGF) and electro optics modulators (EOM) is being driven to deliver wavelengths beyond those available with OGFs. Therefore Genia wants to replace the OGF-EOM approach by a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) approach. This would offer them a broader range of wavelengths, significant improvement in tuning range, as well as significant cost reduction. As part of the SOA approach, Genia needs to develop a high current pulse generator system for driving laser diodes, and that delivers pulses in the order of 1 ns and variable up to ~ 10 ns with a current driving capability of up to 2 A. This pulse generation system is to be used in one of the company's laser based products in the very near future. A second generation (also planned for the very near future) of these types of products will require a pulse generation of much narrower widths, i.e. in the order of 100 picoseconds and variable to up to several nanoseconds. The goal of the present project is to develop the first SOA based system as part of a first product development. Genia expects the research and development for this to benefit the development of the second generation pulse generator at a later stage, namely in regard to facilitating the circuits integration into the pulse generator system, training the highly qualified personnel required in research and development in this business sector and minimizing technological risks and development time. This project will help a young Canadian company, but with very advanced technology products, position itself more strongly in the high tech laser systems business sector, which has an interesting potential in terms of economic value for Canadian companies and high tech employment for Canadian engineers.