Recent advances in pump lasers have led to their use in a wide variety of medical, industrial, defense, and space applications.Examples include dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) and long haul fiber optic telecommunications. Given the wide ambient temperature ranges over which these devices are required to operate, their success depends on good thermal management. Specifically, to minimize dynamic changes in wavelength and power output, the lasing element's temperature must be accurately stabilized. This requirement has led to the application of thermoelectric coolers (TEC's) to control laser diode temperature. In this work, all aspects of a pump laser's thermal management, including nonlinear control electronics, thermal analysis of the opticalmechanical design, and thermoelectric modeling are integrated within a single analog simulator. This simulator provides an accurate steady state and transient model of the full closed loop system. Also included is an example of how this modeling was successfully reduced to practice.
Recent changes in the infrared industry, specifically, the switch to next generation focal plane array infrared detectors, has increased the number and type of Thermoelectric Thermal Reference Sources (TTRS) in the market place. Until now little has been published to aid design engineers incorporating TTRSs into infrared systems. This paper will describe the optical, system, electrical, and mechanical parameters of TTRSs. It will provide infrared system design engineers with an overview of critical TTRS parameters as an aid during their design process.TTRSs provide a temperature controllable radiometrically uniform, high emissivity surface. When viewed by the system detectors, the TTRS allows the system electronics to perform gain and offset calibration as well as DC restoration.Examples will also be provided of currently available TTRSs. This will include a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of hermetically sealed TTRSs as compared to unsealed units. The critical parameters of these available units will also be discussed.
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