A driver circuit and a method drive an electronic component such as a
laser diode with a variable electric current that is controlledly
switched between at least two discrete current levels. The driver circuit
includes circuit elements that damp ringing or initial transient
oscillations that arise when switching the current between the current
levels. The driver circuit includes a current mirror having a mirror
amplification factor dependent on the frequency of the variable electric
current. In order to counteract parasitic capacitances and/or inductances
leading to the ringing, an inductance and/or a resistance are connected
between the two series circuits making up the current mirror, a
capacitance is connected parallel to a reference resistor of one of the
series circuits, and/or a capacitance is connected across the voltage
supply.