The present invention provides a compact analog directly modulated laser configuration that is suitable for use in the field that uses electrical feedback to compensate for non-linearity in real time, such that no matter how the LI curve changes, the electrical feedback compensates for non-linearity by amplifying a portion of the output analog optical signal and combining it with the input analog electrical signal using the standard control method of negative feedback. When the gain of the feedback loop is relatively high, the overall transfer function of the system is primarily dependent on the feedback loop gain block, which is substantially linear. This is accomplished by incorporating a relatively large bandwidth photo-detector at the back facet of the laser that both monitors the output power of the system and provides a feedback signal to the linearization control circuit, as well as an amplifier. The amplified signal from the relatively large bandwidth photo-detector is used to correct for various undesirable effects, such as non-linearity and relative intensity noise (RIN) of the laser. The signal from the relatively large bandwidth photo-detector also allows the laser to operate effectively close to threshold.