Laser Diode Instrumentation Guide

Newport and ILX Lightwave Offer the Widest Range of High Quality Precision Laser Diode Control Instrumentation Available

Laser Diode Instrumentation is used to precisely control a laser diodes optical output, while protecting the laser diode from thermal or electrical damage while operating. We offer a wide variety of Laser Diode Mounts and fixtures for mounting your diode that are compatible with our laser diode drivers and controllers. We also offer accessories and cables with standard compatibility with our instruments and mounts.

Types of Laser Diode Instruments

Laser Diode Instruments can be broken into five categories. Laser Diode Drivers are used to control the current supplied to a laser diode. Laser Diode Temperature Controllers are used to control a thermoelectric cooler (TEC), that is either imbedded in the laser diode package or is integrated into the laser diode mount. Laser Diode Controllers include both a laser diode driver and a laser diode temperature controller in a single device. Pulsed Laser Diode Drivers are used to modulate a laser diode by pulsing it's driver current. Modular Laser Diode Controllers are multi-channel instruments that can be configured with a laser diode driver, temperature control modules, or combo laser diode driver and temperature controller modules. Newport also offers a variety of Laser Diode Control Kits which contain all the necessary current and temperature controllers as well as cables and mounting accessories needed in one convenient package. For volume testing of laser diodes we offer Laser Diode Burn-in Racks.  For high power laser diode, bars, and stacks we offer High Power Laser Diode Instrumentation.

Laser Diode Drivers

Model Max. Current / Compliance Voltage Best Output Noise Modulation Remote Interface Laser Diode Protection
3210 S-O LDX-3200 Series 4000 mA / 15 V < 2 µA rms up to 250 kHz GPIB
  • Most advanced laser diode protection
  • High speed intermittent contact protection
  • Overvoltage protection
  • Independent hardware and firmware current limits
  • Slow start turn-on
  • Shorting relays
  • Transient protection
3525b S-O LDX-3500B Series 6000 mA / 7 V < 2 µA rms up to 500 kHz USB
  • Independent hardware and firmware current limits
  • Intermittent contact protection
  • Slow start turn-on
  • Shorting relays
  • Transient protection
  • Isolated transformers
3412 0411 LDX-3412 200 mA / 6 V < 2 µA rms Not available Not available
  • Independent hardware and firmware current limits
  • Intermittent contact protection
  • Slow start turn-on
  • Shorting relays
  • Transient protection
  • Isolated transformers
3620B Front LDX-3620B 500 mA / 5 V < 70 nA rms up to 1000 kHz Not available
  • Independent hardware and firmware current limits
  • Intermittent contact protection
  • Slow start turn-on
  • Shorting relays
  • Transient protection

Combination Laser Diode Controllers

Integrated precision laser diode driver and high stability temperature controller

Model Maximum Laser Current / TEC Power Best Current Output Noise Temperature Stability Remote Interface Laser Diode Protection
LDC-3736 Front LDC-37X6 Laser Driver and Temperature Controllers 20000 mA / 128 W < 10 µA rms ±0.002°C or better short-term (1 hour)
±0.003°C or better long-term (24 hour)
USB and GPIB
  • Most advanced laser diode protection
  • High speed intermittent contact protection
  • Overvoltage protection
  • Independent hardware and firmware current limits
  • Slow start turn-on
  • Shorting relays
  • Transient protection
  • Isolated transformers
ldc-3724c s-o LDC-3700C Series 4000 mA / 32 W < 2 µA rms 0.004°C or greater short-term (1 hour)
0.01°C or greater long-term (24 hour)
USB and GPIB
  • Most advanced laser diode protection
  • High speed intermittent contact protection
  • Overvoltage protection
  • Independent hardware and firmware current limits
  • Slow start turn-on
  • Shorting relays
  • Transient protection
  • Isolated transformers
PH-6100 Controller 6100 Series 1500 mA / 32 W < 1.2 µA rms 0.0009°C or greater short-term (1 hour)
0.003°C or greater long-term (24 hour)
USB
  • Firmware current limit
  • Slow start turn-on
  • Intermittent contact protection
  • Overvoltage protection
  • Shorting relays
  • Transient protection
  • Isolated transformers

High-Power Laser Diode Drivers

Model Maximum Current / Compliance Voltage Modulation Remote Interface Laser Diode Protection
36000-Front-Panel-for-Websi LDX-36000 Series 125 A (CW) / 35 V
220 A (QCW) / 35 V
QCW operation up to 1000 Hz GPIB
  • Most advanced laser diode protection
  • High speed intermittent contact protection
  • Overvoltage protection
  • Independent hardware and firmware current limits
  • Slow start turn-on
  • Shorting relays
  • Transient protection
  • Isolated transformers

Pulsed Diode Drivers

Model Maximum Current / Compliance Voltage Maximum Duty Cycle Pulse Width Range Remote Interface
3830 Color LDP-3830 5000 mA / 20 V 5% 25 ns to 1µs USB and GPIB
3840B 0411 LDP-3840B 3000 mA / 10 V 10% 100 ns to 10 ms GPIB
3811 0411 LDP-3811 Series 500 mA / 25 V 100% 0.1 µs to 1000 µs GPIB

Thermoelectric Temperature Controllers

Model Maximum Power Temperature Range Temperature Stability Control Algorithm Remote Interface
3700 Temp Controller 3700 Series 336 W -100°C to 250°C 0.0009°C or greater short-term (1 hour)
0.0019°C or greater long-term (24 hour)
Fully programmable digital PID control loop USB
5948 manual front panel LDT-5900 Series 120 W -50°C to 250°C 0.005°C or greater long-term (24 hour) Fully programmable digital PID control loop GPIB and RS-232
5910C-Color LDT-5900C Series 60 W -100°C to 200°C 0.001°C or greater short-term (1 hour)
0.002°C or greater long-term (24 hour)
Fully programmable digital PID control loop USB and GPIB
5525 s_o LDT-5500B Series 50 W -99°C to 199.9°C 0.001°C or greater long-term (24 hour)
0.002°C or greater long-term (24 hour)
Smart Integrator, Hybrid PI USB
5416 Low Power Thermoelectric Temperature Controller LDT-5416 Series 16 W 0°C to 199.9°C 0.005°C or greater short-term (1 hour)
0.01°C or greater long-term (24 hour)
Smart Integrator, Hybrid PI Not available

Modular Laser Diode Controllers

Model # of Channels Maximum Current / Compliance Voltage Maximum TEC Power Temperature Stability Remote Interface
3908 0411 LDC-3908 Series 8 independent channels with up to 16 isolated outputs 3000 mA / 6 V 24 W -99.9°C to 199.9°C GPIB and RS-232
3916 0411 LDC-3916 Series 16 independent channels with up to 32 isolated outputs 3000 mA / 6 V 24 W -99.9°C to 199.9°C GPIB and RS-232

Laser Diode Modules

Newport does not fabricate laser diodes but carries a number of TO-Can, and pigtailed laser diodes with a variety of wavelengths so that the customers do not have to shop around multiple vendors.

Model Features & Benefits
TO-group Laser Diode, TO-56/9, Blue, Visible, Infrared
  • 500 / 1500 mA laser drive current, 10 V compliance voltage
  • 4A / 8V low noise, bipolar output for TEC
  • Ultra stable 24 hour temperature drift <0.003°C
  • Impressive LIV and temperature tuning software suite included
17-132-S Fiber Pigtailed Laser Diodes
  • Center wavelengths ranging from 635–1550 nm
  • Single and multimode light output
  • Fully compatible with Newport’s 700P laser diode mount
  • Fiber pigtails supplied with FC/PC connectors