PCO-6130

The PCO-6130 is a compact, OEM-style high power pulsed current source designed to drive diode lasers, bars and arrays in pulsed, QCW or CW modes. It delivers output current variable from 1A to 125A, pulse widths variable from <600ns to DC, and pulse repetition frequencies variable from single-shot to 250KHz at duty cycles up to 100%.

The PCO-6130 features a user-adjustable variable rise time control. This innovative feature allows the user to adjust the rise time within a range of <200ns to >5s by means of a PCB-mounted potentiometer, to optimize the driver's rise time for the user's application.

The PCO-6130 is based on a hysteretic, average current,switch-mode regulator. This type of regulator is a variable frequency, variable pulse width design which maintains current in an energy storage inductor between a minimum and maximum level. The ripple is limited to the minimum and maximum current determined by the hysteretic controller.

The regulator PCO-6130 is started when the TTL "enable" line is taken high and runs as long as the enable is high. The use of the hysteretic regulator provides a large input range and high efficiency.

A shunting switch of PCO-6130 shorts the output of the regulator until output current is needed. The pulse is generated by opening the shunt switch for the length of the input pulse.The pulse rise and fall times are then limited only by the stray/parasitic capacitance and inductance of the shunting switch and output leads.

No power of PCO-6130 is dissipated in the driver until it is enabled.When enabled, at 125A maximum output approximately 75W is continuously dissipated in the driver to maintain the current in the energy storage inductor (see note #1 on next page for more information).

This architecture of PCO-6130 provides a high performance driver in a small form factor, with high operating efficiency and low stored energy. At 125A output current, the stored energy in the driver is approximately 7 Joules, dramatically lower than the stored energy in comparable linear current sources.

The PCO-6130 requires user-supplied +24VDC support power, a CMOS (+5V) gate signal, and a TTL-level enable/ disable signal. The high current output is derived from the +24VDC DC input. The output pulse width and frequency are controlled by the gate signal. The output current amplitude is controlled by a PCB-mount potentiometer.

A current monitor output may be viewed with an oscilloscope, providing a straight-forward means to observe the diode current waveform in real-time. To protect the laser diode and the driver, circuitry is incorporated into the driver that disables the output if the +24VDC support power drops below 18V. Clamp diodes are incorporated into the output network to protect the laser diode against reverse voltage conditions.

The PCO-6130 is available in two options. Option A is mounted on an air-cooled heatsink. Option B (pictured above) is provided without the heatsink, and must be mounted to a user-supplied heatsink or cold plate capable of dissipating approximately 100W.

The rugged, compact design and high power capability of  the PCO-6130 make it an excellent OEM choice for driving high power laser diodes.