Patent ID: 9269835
Filing Date: 2016-02-23
CPC Classification: G01J,H01L

Claim Text:
1. A device, comprising: a DC power supply coupled to a fixed current source; an avalanche photo-diode (APD); a direct current (DC) voltage regulator that comprises a regulating transistor, arranged to maintain a regulated voltage at a fixed value over different APD currents; and a temperature control module that is arranged to maintain a portion of the temperature control module at a fixed temperature; wherein the DC voltage regulator and the APD are electrically coupled in parallel to each other, so that a sum of currents that pass through the APD and the regulating transistor equals a fixed current supplied by the fixed current source; and wherein the portion of the temperature control module is thermally coupled to the DC voltage regulator and to the APD, and wherein the APD and the regulating transistor are thermally coupled to each other.