	US 12,278,460 B2
	Pulse generator circuit, related laser system and method
Romeo Letor, Mascalucia (IT); Antoine Pavlin, Puyricard (FR); Alfio Russo, Acireale (IT); and Nadia Lecci, Tremestieri Etneo (IT)
Assigned to STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS, Rousset (FR); and STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza (IT)
Filed by STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza (IT); and STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS, Rousset (FR)
Filed on Dec. 16, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/123,712.
Claims priority of application No. 102019000025132 (IT), filed on Dec. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0218223 A1, Jul. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. H01S 3/00 (2006.01); G01S 7/484 (2006.01); H01S 5/042 (2006.01); H01S 5/062 (2006.01); H03K 17/687 (2006.01); H01S 5/026 (2006.01)

CPC H01S 5/0428 (2013.01) [G01S 7/484 (2013.01); H01S 5/042 (2013.01); H01S 5/06216 (2013.01); H03K 17/6871 (2013.01); H01S 5/0261 (2013.01)]

20 Claims

1. A pulse generator circuit comprising:

positive and negative input terminals for receiving a supply voltage;

two output terminals for providing a current pulse to a load;

an LC resonant circuit comprising an inductance and a capacitance connected in series between a first node and the negative input terminal, wherein the LC resonant circuit has a resonant period based on the inductance and the capacitance;

a charge circuit configured to charge the capacitance via the supply voltage;

a first electronic switch connected between the two output terminals and configured to selectively short-circuit the two output terminals in response to a first drive signal;

a second electronic switch configured to selectively connect the two output terminals in parallel with the LC resonant circuit in response to a second drive signal; and

a control circuit configured to generate the first and the second drive signals in order to repeat the following steps during each switching cycle of a sequence of switching cycles:

for a first time-interval, close the first electronic switch and open the second electronic switch, wherein the two output terminals are disconnected from the LC resonant circuit and wherein the capacitance is charged via the charge circuit;

for a following second time-interval, close the first electronic switch and close the second electronic switch, wherein the two output terminals are connected in parallel with the LC resonant circuit and the two output terminals are short-circuited, and wherein the LC resonant circuit oscillates with the resonant period;

for a following third time-interval, open the first electronic switch and close the second electronic switch, wherein the two output terminals are connected in parallel with the LC resonant circuit and wherein the LC resonant circuit provides a current to the two output terminals; and

for a following fourth time-interval, close the first electronic switch and close the second electronic switch, wherein the two output terminals are connected in parallel with the LC resonant circuit, wherein the two output terminals are short-circuited, and wherein the LC resonant circuit oscillates with the resonant period.