The ADN2873 monitors the laser bias and modulation currents and it provides fail alarms and ALS. Using setup voltages of a microcontroller DAC or a trimmable resistor voltage divider, the ADN2873 can set up a laser optical average output power and extinction ratio. The optical average power control loop consists of an optical feedback from a photodiode, the comparator, and a status holder. The ADN2873 works easily with the Analog Devices, Inc., ADuC7019/ADuC702x family of MicroConverter devices and with the ADN289x family of limiting amplifiers to make a complete SFP/SFF transceiver chipset solution.