Current outputting circuit and optical transmitter

• US 9,749,059 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2016
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Uemura, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanderpuye, Ken N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alagheband, Abbas H
• Application Number:
  US15/066,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20170207857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 398157, 398182, 398193, 398 72, 372 3802, 372 3807
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/042 Electrical excitation ; Circuits therefor monolithically integrated laser drive components H01S5/0261
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0427 for applying modulation to the laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/183 having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL]
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/04123 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6871 the output circuit comprising more than one controlled field-effect transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/11 Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/503 Laser transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/504 using direct modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/564 Power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/60 Receivers

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a current outputting circuit includes an output node, a first circuit outputting a first signal and a second signal based on an input signal, the first and second signals having phases of complementary relationship, and a second circuit outputting an output current from the output node based on the first and second signals. The second circuit includes a first current source with a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being connected to a first power source, and a first transistor with a third terminal, a fourth terminal and a fifth terminal, the first signal being input to the third terminal, the fourth and fifth terminals sandwiching a first current path controlled by the first signal, the fourth terminal being connected to the second terminal, the fifth terminal being connected to the output node. The second signal is input to the fifth terminal.

Claims

1. A current outputting circuit comprising:

an output node;

a first circuit outputting a first signal and a second signal based on an input signal, the first and second signals having phases of complementary relationship; and

a second circuit outputting an output current from the output node based on the first and second signals,

wherein the second circuit comprises;

a first current source with a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being connected to a first power source; and

a first transistor with a third terminal, a fourth terminal and a fifth terminal, the first signal being input to the third terminal, the fourth and fifth terminals sandwiching a first current path controlled by the first signal, the fourth terminal being connected to the second terminal, the fifth terminal being connected to the output node,

wherein the second signal is input to the fifth terminal.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein

the second circuit further comprises a capacitor connected between the fourth terminal and the first power source.

3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein

the second circuit further comprises a second current source with a sixth terminal and a seventh terminal, the sixth terminal being connected to the first power source, the seventh terminal being connected to the output node.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein

the first circuit comprises:

a second current source with a sixth terminal and a seventh terminal, the sixth terminal being connected to a second power source;

a second transistor with an eighth terminal, a ninth terminal and a tenth terminal, the input signal being input to the eighth terminal, the ninth and tenth terminals sandwiching a second current path controlled by the input signal, the ninth terminal being connected to the seventh terminal, the tenth terminal being connected to a third power source; and

a third transistor with an eleventh terminal, a twelfth terminal and a thirteenth terminal, an inversion signal of the input signal being input to the eleventh terminal, the twelfth and thirteenth terminals sandwiching a third current path controlled by the inversion signal, the twelfth terminal being connected to the seventh terminal,

wherein the first signal is output from the tenth terminal and the second signal is output from the thirteenth terminal.

5. The circuit of claim 4, wherein

the first circuit further comprises a resistance element connected between the tenth terminal and the third power source.

6. The circuit of claim 1, wherein

the output current drives a light emitting element connected between the output node and a second power source.

7. The circuit of claim 6, wherein

the first power source has a voltage lower than a voltage of the second power source.

8. The circuit of claim 7, wherein

the first transistor is an N-channel MOSFET.

9. The circuit of claim 6, wherein

the first power source has a voltage higher than a voltage of the second power source.

10. The circuit of claim 9, wherein

the first transistor is a P-channel MOSFET.

11. The circuit of claim 1, wherein

the input signal is a differential signal including a normal phase signal and a reverse phase signal.

12. An optical transmitter comprising:

the current outputting circuit of claim 1; and

a light emitting element connected between the output node of the current outputting circuit and a second power source.

13. The optical transmitter of claim 12, wherein

the light emitting element is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL).

14. An optical transmission system comprising:

the optical transmitter of claim 12; and

an optical receiver receiving an optical signal from the light emitting element.