Modeling of a Closed-Loop Pump Laser Temperature Control Unit, Including Nonlinear Electronics Controller, and Thermoelectric Cooler and Mechanical Assembly

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 optical-mechanical 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.