초록 ▼

The temperature of a thermo-electric cooler that is used to cool a laser is effectively controlled using a monitor which accurately and continuously measures the temperature of the thermo-electric cooler and using apparatus that determines the difference between the measured temperature and a desire

The temperature of a thermo-electric cooler that is used to cool a laser is effectively controlled using a monitor which accurately and continuously measures the temperature of the thermo-electric cooler and using apparatus that determines the difference between the measured temperature and a desired thermo-electric cooler temperature. A discriminator circuit causes the thermo-electric cooler to enter (a) a heating cycle when such difference is below a first reference level or (b) a cooling cycle when such difference reaches a reaches a second reference level. Power consumption within the associated cooling/heating system is also accurately controlled using a pulse width modulated power supply to provide the voltage signal that drives the thermoelectric cooler.

대표청구항 ▼

[We claim:] [1.]a thermo-electric cooler,a monitor which outputs a signal having a level indicative of the temperature of the thermo-electric cooler,first apparatus that responds to the monitor signal and outputs a signal indicative of a difference between the temperature of the thermo-electric cool

[We claim:] [1.]a thermo-electric cooler,a monitor which outputs a signal having a level indicative of the temperature of the thermo-electric cooler,first apparatus that responds to the monitor signal and outputs a signal indicative of a difference between the temperature of the thermo-electric cooler and a desired thermo-electric cooler temperature,a signal generator for outputting a signal having a level that varies as a function of the level of a control signal derived from at least the level of the output signal and the value of the difference signal,second apparatus connected to first and second inputs of the thermoelectric cooler such that when the level of the difference signals is below a first reference signal connects the generated signal across said the first and second inputs as a signal of a first polarity to cause the thermo-electric cooler to enter a heating cycle and such that when the level of the difference signal is below a second reference signal connects the generated signal across said second and first inputs in reverse order as a signal of a second polarity to cause the thermo-electric cooler to enter a cooling cycle, anda dump circuit which shunts the level of the signal that the signal generator outputs to a predetermined level when the level of the difference signal is between the first and second reference levels.