I need to know what led or laser diode can be driven with sub-nanosecond pulse width. I don't mind building my own driver. Commercial units are far to costly.
in old good time the scientist used to build themselves a choppers for impulse generation from continues lasers, so if you desperately need impulses, you could try to build it yourself. I do not have any references, nether I do not sure that these choppers could make you a sub nanoscecs impulses
I think that the source of this "slow time" is the inverter look at this http://www.fairchildsemi.com/ds/74/74F04.pdf this is one of the cheapest inverters on the market. Maybe you can find something better it could be replaced for a Schmidt trigger.
It is my understanding that the structure of the led determines the rise time. I can build 30 picosecond drivers, but the led determines the rise time. I am looking for a part number for a 100 ps rise time or faster led.