A method (900) includes delivering a first bias current (I.sub.GAIN) to an anode of gain-section diode (590a) and delivering a second bias current (I.sub.PH) to an anode of a phase-section diode (590b). The method also includes receiving a burst mode signal (514) indicative of a burst-on state or a burst-on state, and sinking a first sink current (I.sub.SINK) away from the first bias current when the burst mode signal is indicative of the burst-off state. When the burst mode signal transitions to be indicative of the burst-on state from the burst-off state, the method also includes sinking a second sink current away from the second bias current at the anode of the phase-section diode and ceasing the sinking of the first sink current away from the first bias current at the anode of the gain section diode.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide control systems and methods for controlling a pulsed laser diode and a sensing device including a pulsed laser diode. An exemplary control system includes a distance detector configured to generate a distance signal indicating a distance between the pulsed laser diode and an object reflecting pulsed laser beams emitted by the pulsed laser diode. The control system may also include a controller configured to dynamically control power supplied to the pulse laser diode based on the distance signal.

The disclosed light source device includes a light emitting element including a first reflector, a second reflector, and a resonator spacer portion provided between the first reflector and the second reflector and including an active layer, and emits a first light as a laser beam and a second light as a spontaneous emission light, a light receiving element that determines an amount of the second light, and a determination unit that determines a timing at which the first light oscillates based on a decrease in the amount of the second light determined by the light receiving element.

A shutdown circuit may include a filter, for receiving a laser trigger signal for a laser emitter, that is configured to output a filtered signal. The shutdown circuit may include a logic gate configured to receive the filtered signal and at least one of a first signal based on a signal from a photodiode or a second signal based on a signal from a conductive path. The shutdown circuit may include a flip-flop configured to receive an output of the logic gate and to output an enablement signal that is based on the output of the logic gate, and a driver circuit for a switch configured to control current flow to the laser emitter. The driver circuit may be configured to receive the enablement signal and the laser trigger signal and to output the laser trigger signal based on whether the enablement signal is a first or a second voltage.

A semiconductor laser including: an optical resonator that has a first compound semiconductor layer containing an n-type impurity, a second compound semiconductor layer containing a p-type impurity, and a light-emitting layer provided between the first compound semiconductor layer and the second compound semiconductor layer; and a pulse injection means that injects excitation energy for a sub-nanosecond duration into the optical resonator, wherein the light-emitting layer has an at least five-period multiple quantum well structure, and the semiconductor laser generates optical pulses having a pulse width shorter than 2.5 times the photon lifetime in the optical resonator.

A semiconductor laser including: an optical resonator that has a first compound semiconductor layer containing an n-type impurity, a second compound semiconductor layer containing a p-type impurity, and a light-emitting layer provided between the first compound semiconductor layer and the second compound semiconductor layer; and a pulse injection means that injects excitation energy for a sub-nanosecond duration into the optical resonator, wherein the optical resonator has a multi-section structure separated into at least one gain region and at least one absorption region, and the semiconductor laser generates optical pulses having a pulse width shorter than 2.5 times the photon lifetime in the optical resonator.

This application describes a laser driver that can include a voltage source, an inductor, at least one capacitor, a diode laser, and an electronic switch. The switch may be connected to ground and may be configured to alternate between an on state and an off state. In a first on state, current may flow through the switch to the inductor and through the inductor to store energy in the inductor. In a first off state, the inductor may release the stored energy and allow current to flow to the at least one capacitor to charge the at least one capacitor. In a second on state, the at least one capacitor may discharge and allow current to flow through the diode laser to cause the diode laser to emit light energy.

A driver circuit includes a fly capacitor with a first end and a second end. The driver circuit includes a laser diode having an anode and a cathode. The driver circuit is configured to operate in first and second operating states. The anode is coupled to the first end of the fly capacitor. In the first operating state, the cathode is coupled to a first voltage supply node, the first end of the fly capacitor is coupled to a second voltage supply node, and the second end of the fly capacitor is coupled to a first reference terminal. In the second operating state, the cathode is coupled to a second reference terminal and decoupled from the first voltage supply node, the first end of the fly capacitor is decoupled from the second voltage supply node, and the second end of the fly capacitor is coupled to a third reference terminal.

A drive circuit that includes a switching circuit switching between a first state and a second state to cause a light-emitting element to perform pulse oscillation, and a direct current adjustment circuit. In the first state, light is emitted from a light-emitting element by supplying the light-emitting element with a current having a magnitude equal to or greater than a threshold current enabling the light-emitting element to emit light having an output equal to or greater than a predetermined output. In the second state, the magnitude of the current supplied to the light-emitting element is less than the threshold current. The direct current adjustment circuit supplies, to the light-emitting element, a bias current within a range less than the threshold current of the light-emitting element in the second state. The bias current has a magnitude corresponding to a magnitude of undershoot occurring at a falling edge of the pulse oscillation.

A light emitting device includes a wiring board having a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer adjacent to the first wiring layer via an insulating layer, and a laser having a cathode electrode and an anode electrode, mounted on the wiring board, and driven through low-side driving. The first wiring layer includes a cathode wire connected to the cathode electrode, an anode wire connected to the anode electrode, and a first reference potential wire connected to a reference potential. The second wiring layer includes a second reference potential wire connected to the reference potential. An area of an overlap between the second reference potential wire and the anode wire is larger than an area of an overlap between the second reference potential wire and the first reference potential wire.