Along motor controllers, we have been designing a laser diode driver. Laser diode driver, or LDD, is basically a current regulator that is being to used to drive constant or pulsed current to a semiconductor diode that emits laser light.

The story behind this is the fact that I have been working close to laser diode industry where I get understanding of how laser diodes are utilized and controlled, as well as expertise of precision current control from motor drives. Combining these two makes it almost trivial to make a new kind of LDD that has never seen before.

Intenisify Nx50 laser diode driver delivers current of 50 A continuous per board at exceptional 95% efficiency. In this image three Nx50’s are connected parallel.

The product is now finished and it’s called Intensify Nx50! It has unique ability to be stacked to increase output rating. Single board outputs current between 0 – 50 A and voltage between 0.8 – 5.0 V. Two of them output 0 – 100 A / 0.8 – 5.0 V and three 0 -150 / A 0.8 – 5.0 V etc.

Funny observation from testing of 150 A driver in pulsed mode is that the thick cables tend to physically move due to magnetic force generated by flowing current. When current flows in parallel conductors in opposite directions, cables repel each other. It takes hefty amount of current to feel and see it :)