Laser Diode PlugaPod

[Kavaipatti]

Hi,

I am using Quarton Laser Diode with PlugaPod. I am planning to connect it to PA0 of PlugaPod and switch it on and off using commands PA0 ON and PA0 OFF.

I would like to know whether the ratings of the laser diode and output from PA0 match.

Technical Specification of Laser Diode:
http://www.quarton.com.tw/laser_module_vlm_635_650_03.html

Thanks,
Prasanna Kavaipatti

[nmitech]

You need to have a transistor, or some kind of buffer that can source or sink 40mA +/- 15mA per spec. Plug-a-Pod's I/O port can only handle around 10-15mA

[RMDumse]

Almost any simple switching NPN transistor would do the job, such as a 2N2222. Use a current limiting resistor from the port line to the base. With a gain of 100, getting a single millamp through the base will saturate the transistor for the output needed for the laser, so a 2.7K resistor would be a good choice. Ground the emitter. Put the laser- to the collector and the laser_ to the +3V.

[Kavaipatti]

Thankyou very much.

Prasanna Kavaipatti