The laser diode operates at about 4. 5V and up to 2A of current. This means that we should design a proper DC/DC converter that would work at 24VDC and be able to output 5V to 6V (we need to include voltage drop on a sense resistor and a switch). Laser diodes are highly susceptible to damage from forward and reverse voltage surges and transients, and they require a special set of specifically designed electronic control elements. In this article, we'll explore the basics of Laser Diode Driver circuits and guide you. When a forward bias voltage is applied to the laser diode, electrons and holes recombine in the active region, releasing energy in the form of photons. The wavelength of the emitted light depends on the bandgap of the semiconductor material used in the laser diode.