JPS5915516Y2 - gas laser equipment - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a gas laser device, and particularly to a power source for discharging a gas laser.

A gas laser tube is a device in which a gas such as atoms or molecules serving as an active medium is sealed in the tube, and a spectrum obtained by discharging the gas is oscillated in combination with a laser resonator.

In order to discharge a gas laser tube, it is necessary to apply a voltage equal to or higher than a discharge starting voltage, which is much higher than a discharge sustaining voltage required to maintain a normal discharge between the cathode and anode.

However, once the discharge is started, it is sufficient to apply a voltage corresponding to the discharge sustaining voltage.

Conventionally, as a trigger method for starting such a gas laser tube, a voltage higher than the discharge sustaining voltage is applied between the electrodes of the gas laser tube, and a coil-shaped electrode is wound around the outer wall of the gas laser tube. One type of external trigger that temporarily applies a voltage to discharge, or one voltage that includes the main discharge power source to generate a voltage higher than the discharge sustaining voltage and sustain the discharge of the laser tube, and the trigger power source to start the discharge. There is a series trigger type that temporarily increases the voltage between the electrodes of the gas laser tube and discharges the gas laser tube by superimposing them upon startup.

However, with the one-type external trigger, it may be difficult to trigger the gas laser tube depending on the thickness and material of the insulator, such as a glass tube or ceramic, that constitutes the gas laser tube.

In addition, in the conventional series trigger one-way type, the relationship between the main discharge power source and the trigger power source is that the secondary side of the trigger transformer is connected in series with the gas laser tube in the main discharge current path, and the primary side of the trigger transformer is connected to the spark source. A configuration was used in which a pulse voltage was applied to generate a high voltage trigger pulse.

However, among gas lasers, argon ion lasers, krypton ion lasers, etc. have a discharge current of 30%.
If more than A flows, a large current flows to the secondary side of the trigger transformer and a lot of heat is generated inside the trigger transformer, so it is necessary to lower the electric resistance to reduce heat generation.

As a result, the wire diameter inevitably becomes thicker and the shape of the trigger transformer becomes larger and heavier, making the ion laser device smaller and smaller.
This hindered weight reduction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a gas laser tube that is smaller and lighter by improving the trigger type.

According to the present invention, a diode with low internal impedance, large capacity, and high reverse breakdown voltage is connected in series with the laser tube in the main discharge channel, and a double voltage is generated in a capacitor connected in parallel with this diode. A gas laser device including a voltage doubler generating circuit is obtained.

Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be explained using FIG. 1.

A diode 8 is connected in series in the discharge AC path formed by the main discharge power supply 1 and the anode 3 and cathode 4 of the gas laser tube 2, which maintains the discharge AC during steady state, and a capacitor connected in parallel to this diode is connected at both ends. The configuration includes a double voltage generation circuit 10 that generates twice the voltage.

and double voltage generation circuit 10. Trigger transformer 5. The AC power supply 11 constitutes a high voltage trigger power supply 12.

Consider a case where the gas laser tube 2 is discharged with such a configuration.

Assuming that the main discharge power source is generating the voltage required to maintain the discharge, a voltage is applied between the cathode 4 and the connection point B of the diode 8, but no voltage is still applied to the anode 3 of the laser tube 2. do not have.

This is because there is no potential difference between AB of diode 8.

When an input voltage is applied to the primary side of the trigger transformer 5 in this state, a high voltage is generated on the secondary side of the trigger transformer.

Diode 8 is the output terminal of the double voltage generation circuit composed of diodes 6 and 9 and capacitors 7 and 7'.
A double voltage of the secondary output of the trigger transformer 5 is generated between AB.

Therefore, since the potential of the anode 3 of the laser tube is the potential of point A, it becomes the sum of the potential of the main discharge power source 1 and the voltage doubler voltage generation circuit 10, and this potential difference is applied between the cathode 4 and the gas laser tube. 2 discharges.

Note that before discharging, a reverse voltage is applied to the diode 8, so the diode is in an OFF state.

Once discharged, the potential difference between AB of diode 8 becomes a forward voltage and current flows through diode 8 since the diode is in a conductive state.

In this state, part of the current from the main discharge power supply flows through diode 6 and diode 9, but if diode 8 is a high current diode with low internal impedance and diode 6 and diode 9 are diodes with small current capacity. , most of the current flows through diode 8.

Since the main discharge alternating current does not flow through the secondary side of the trigger transformer, the trigger transformer can have a small wire diameter, making it a small transformer.

In addition, since a double voltage circuit is used, the ratio of the primary winding to the secondary winding of the trigger transformer is only half that of a conventional transformer, making the trigger transformer smaller and lighter. The device itself can be made smaller and lighter.

This circuit also has the effect that if the gas laser tube stops discharging for some reason, it will automatically resume discharging through the same process as described above.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1... Main discharge power supply, 2... Gas laser tube, 5... Trigger transformer, 7, 7'...
...Output capacitor, 8...Diode,
10...Double voltage generation circuit, 12...
Trigger power.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a gas laser device including a gas laser tube, a main discharge power source for sustaining the discharge of the gas laser tube, and a trigger power source having a built-in double voltage generation circuit for starting the discharge of the gas laser tube, the main discharge current is A gas laser device comprising a diode connected in series to the gas laser tube in a path, and an output capacitor of the double voltage generating circuit connected in parallel to the diode.