US Patent 11876346 Continuous wave laser driver with energy recycling

A laser pulse emitter circuit comprises a laser diode and a laser diode driver circuit. The laser diode driver circuit includes an inductive circuit element in series with the laser diode, at least one capacitive circuit element connected in series with the inductive circuit element, and a switch circuit configured to activate the laser diode using duty cycling that includes an on-period and an off-period, wherein energy used in an activation of the laser diode is stored in the inductive circuit element and the at least one capacitive circuit element, and the stored energy is recycled by use in a subsequent activation of the laser diode.