Note: Switch-mode hybrid current controllers for quantum cascade lasers

Chemical sensing in the mid-infrared has been revolutionized by the advent of quantum cascade lasers. Their higher current and voltage demands compared to laser diodes however, negatively impact size, weight, and power footprint for fieldable systems, particularly in hot environments. This Note presents a switch-mode/linear hybrid controller, furnishing drive currents up to 2 A at compliance voltages up to 15 V, with output noise near levels determined by shot and Johnson contributions from within the linear regulator, from frequencies below 100 Hz to the switching frequency. Current modulation from near 0 to 1.8 A is also demonstrated at frequencies up to a kilohertz.