WLD33ND 2.2 A Laser Diode Driver

  • Small Size: 1.30" X 1.28" X 0.313"
  • Slow Start Laser Diode Protection
  • TTL Compatible Shutdown Pin
  • Adjustable Laser Diode Current Limit
  • Over temperature output shutdown
  • 14 pin DIP PCB mount
  • Up to 2.2 A CW laser diode current
  • Constant Current or Constant Power Mode
  • Voltage Controlled Setpoint
  • Bandwidth 2 MHz (CC, sine wave)
 

From: $99.00

Bulk Pricing (6 - 14): $97.00

Contact Factory for High Volume Pricing
Price adjustments will be reflected in the cart. For availability information please contact us. All prices are in US dollars and are subject to change without notice. Prices do not include shipping charges. An additional OEM discount applies on orders over 14 pieces. Contact factory for pricing. If ordering from or shipping to Australia, China, Hong Kong or Israel please contact your distributor.

The WLD33ND is a general purpose laser diode driver that maintains precision laser diode current (Constant Current mode) or stable photodiode current (Constant Power mode) using electronics that are compatible with any laser diode type. It delays and slowly ramps the current for maximum protection. Supply up to 2.2 A of current to your laser diode from a single +5 V power source.  An evaluation board is available to simplify prototyping: WLD33ND-2AEV.

An internal thermostat shuts down the WLD safely if the device temperature exceeds 105°C. Remotely enable or disable current. Zero leakage current allows operation with VCSELs. Current range is scaled by an external resistor.

To operate from 3.6 V (for Lithium-Ion batteries) try the WLD33ND-HB. For 3 A operation, the WLD33ND-3A is available. These drivers have noise above 45 µA. To drive with lower noise in Constant Current Mode only, the WLD33ND-2L and WLD33ND-3L drive up to 2 A and 3 A, respectively. A circuit calculator tool speeds selection of external component values (see Design Tools tab). Heatsinking solutions to use the WLD33ND at full current are available.

This laser diode driver is ideal for applications where space is tight. It is widely used in electro-optic qualificationRaman spectroscopy, medical diagnostic equipment, range finders, eye-safe atmospheric lidar and on research benches.

Free, effective, and responsive technical support is available to simplify integration of Wavelength products into your OEM design. Standard product can be easily modified to meet your application requirements.

1 Hour Current Stability at ambient 25°C: 200 ppm

Supply Range: +5 to +12 V

Package: 14 pin DIP PCB mount (33 x 32 x 8 mm)

Laser Diode Output Current: up to 2.2 A

Delay: 240 msec.
Current Ramp: 10 msec
Rise time: 100 nsec
Fall time: 200 nsec
Noise: >45 µA (100 mA, 100 kHz)
For low noise operation in Constant Current mode, see WLD33ND-2L and WLD33ND-3L.

TTL Compatible RESET / ENABLE input is active LO.

Bandwidth: 2 MHz – Constant Current sine wave

Maximum Power Dissipation 9 W (with full thermal kit)

Heatspreader Temperature Rise: 30°C / W without external heatsinking

Circuit Diagram Example: WLD33ND in Constant Current mode with a Type A/B Laser Diode (Top View)

Related FAQs

FAQ1001: What does the Compliance Voltage specification in laser diode drivers mean?
FAQ1014: What DC power supplies do you recommend to achieve the stability specifications listed in your manuals?
FAQ1015: Should I use a switching power supply for my application?
FAQ1016: How do I view and print your manuals on-line?
FAQ1017: An empty screen appears when I try opening a PDF manual. What does this mean?
FAQ1019: Which address do I use to remit payment or a purchase order?
FAQ1022: Where do I send my unit for repair or calibration?
FAQ1047: I would like to know if my laser diode is of type B and I want to use it in constant current mode. The anode of the LD is internally connected to the case. Now I would like the case to be grounded, how should I connect it with the WLD3343 LD Driver? Ground the anode and then connect the cathode to pin 11? Can pin 11 supply a negative voltage so that the LD can be lit up?
FAQ1049: How do I know whether or not I need a heat sink or a fan on my WLD laser diode driver?
FAQ1050: I use the WLD3343 in collaboration with the WHY5640 and a Peltier element to keep the laser diode temperature constant. After I set the LD current to 40 mA and start changing the temperature from about 16°C to 50°C the LD current starts to rise to 60 mA. Does that have to do with the characteristic's of the LD? I know that some things vary depending on the temperature but then I would expect the WLD3343 to adjust the current. It does keep the current constant very well if the temperature stays constant.
FAQ1051: With the WLD, I discovered a normal delay between the SHD signal and power to the Laser Diode (slow start). I need to produce pulses of zero to set power (which is set in VSET), and 100 to 1000 ms width. I thought to use SHD control, but the delay is a problem. Which is the best way to put the LD on and totally off with no (or little) delay? Or, how much is this delay, in msec, in order to modify the control software? Eventually, I can use constant power or constant current mode.
FAQ1052: I want to drive a 1550 nm laser diode, 5 mW output, <150 mA of current, at a modulation frequency of 1-2 MHz. The WLD3343 will do this fine, right? At 1 or 2 MHz mod, what modulation depth do you typically see with the WLD? The next step will be to go to a 10 MHz modulation frequency, will the WLD be OK? We want the best modulation depth we can get. Will we see 100% depth at 1 MHz, and do you have a feeling for the modulation depth we would get at 10 MHz?
FAQ1054: Can you give me some hints for minimizing current noise when using the WLD3343 or WLD33ND?
FAQ1061: My question has to do with the EXT VSET connector on the WLD3343. How is the applied EXT VSET voltage related to the current supplied to the LD in CC mode? Is it a 1:1 ratio? Also, in CP mode, how is the applied voltage on EXT VSET related to the photodiode current?
FAQ1068: I am developing a new design with the WTC3243 and WLD3343. Is it necessary to feed both circuits with a regulated power supply? Is a rectified voltage with a "smoothing" capacitor sufficient?
FAQ1071: Would any overheating issues arise from placing the WLD3343 and WTC3243 in a closed area ~ 7"x5"x3"? If so, would the associated thermal solution kits help to relieve this problem?
FAQ1073: We have a requirement for the WLD laser diode driver for +5 V or +12 VDC operation. Can it be used for driving a 4 W CW laser diode whose threshold current is 1.5 A? The diode is to be operated in common cathode configuration.
FAQ1074: I am designing a laser driver circuit using the WLD. On page 11 of the datasheet there is a discussion about choosing RLIM. Apparently, RSENSE sets the allowable current range of the laser driver, and RLIM then limits the actual current limit to something less than what RSENSE allows. Is this a correct interpretation?
FAQ1075: I'd like to use the WLD Driver and Evaluation Board to modulate a laser in constant power mode. Do I need any additional or external circuitry?
FAQ1076: We would like to use the WLD and WTC to control a fiber-coupled laser diode which has laser diode anode ground. This ground is connected via the case to the thermistor ground. We are not using the photodiode, we scan through a range of currents to wavelength-tune the laser. When I look at your specification for the WLD, the picture on page 13 shows the laser diode anode connected to pin 14 i.e. 5 V. None of the other circuits show a grounded laser anode. Is the WLD in fact compatible with an anode ground system? I'm worried because I can't see how it can be, if its supply is 0 and 5 V, yet I need to connect the cathode to something less than 0 V.
FAQ1077: I am using a WLD (with heat sink and fan) with a laser diode (2 W, photodiode and LD isolated, B type). It needs approximately 2.5 A to deliver the 2 W. The problem is that I get less than about 1.7 A from the WLD. It is connected using constant power mode, RSENSE: 0.5 Ω and 1 kΩ preset for RLIMIT. VMOD is 0 to 2 V (to adjust power). When VMOD = 2 V, I adjust RLIMIT and the current goes up until 1.7 A and stops there. I am using a 5 V supply and the LD drops 2 V, so I think that the compliance is OK, but eventually I can use more voltage (6 V, still in the safe operation area).
FAQ1078: We're working with the WLD in constant current mode, and we think we observe a non linearity between VSET and ILD. Is the non-linearity normal? Should we use external feedback between IMON and VSET?

We chose RSENSE = 0.35 Ω to get 2 A, trim RLIM not to exceed 2 A, and we adjust R between pins 5 and 6 to get 1 A output with VSET = 1 V.


FAQ1079: We are using the WLD with a C-mount 2 W 808 nm diode, and questions about how to handle the laser and controller. What handling precautions do you recommend? And what should we be concerned about when we’re configuring the driver with the laser? Also, we want to make sure we’re minimizing current noise to the laser. Do you have any recommendations for noise and transient suppression filters?
FAQ1080: What is the best way to minimize electrical noise in the driver output current when using the WLD Laser Driver?
FAQ1081: Can the WLD laser diode driver be externally modulated with an analog signal, if so what would be the bandwidth?
FAQ1083: Battery power for Laser Drivers and Temperature Controllers - can the laser diode driver and temperature controller be powered by batteries directly?
FAQ1093: What is the thickness of the plastic on the Wxx products' case (WLD3343 Laser Driver, WTC3243 Temperature Controller or WHY5640 Temperature Controller) and what is the thermal conductivity of the plastic case?
FAQ1098: The Wavelength Electronics WLD3343 datasheet specifies the constant current control short term stability (1 hour) and long term stability (24 hours) each at 25°C. I would like to know the dependence of the laser/light regarding the temperature. What happens, when we use the WLD3343 at -50°C or +110°C for example, because the device is specified for -65°C to 150°C.
FAQ1105: We operate a WLD and a WTC together from one power supply and want to build this in series and need to specify the power supply:
  1. What stability of the power supply is necessary, what ripple is allowed?
  2. Do you have any kind of overload protection?
  3. Would it do any harm to have a capacitor (i.e. 470 pF) in parallel to the laser diode?

FAQ1111: I'm unable to measure any voltage on the photodiode (PD) monitor output of my WLD3343, even when I increase the drive current to the limit. Do you have ideas for trouble-shooting?
FAQ1150: What are the differences between a wavelength meter and a spectrometer?
FAQ1158: What software can I use for mechanical downloads?
FAQ1161: What are some important parameters to consider before purchasing a product?
FAQ1165: What are some important features of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, and what Wavelength products can be used to drive them?
FAQ1169: At what temperature, and for how long can I solder the pins on the WLD, WTC, WTCP, and WHY products?
FAQ1171: How do I connect multiple drivers or controllers to a single power supply?

Kits

WEV300WEV300 Thermal Solution Kit$23
WEV301WEV301 Thermal Solution Kit with +5 V Fan$48
WEV302WEV302 Thermal Solution Kit with +12 V Fan$48

Accessories

WLD33ND-2AEVEvaluation PCB for WLD33ND 2A & 2L Laser Diode Drivers$150
WHS302WHS302 Heatsink for WXX Controllers$15
WTW002WTW002 Thermal Washer for Wxx Controllers$3
WXC303WXC303 +5 V Fan$31
WXC304WXC304 +12 V Fan$31
WXC305WXC305 Screw Kit$6

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