GB2149566A - Stable alignment mechanism - Google Patents

Stable alignment mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2149566A
GB2149566A GB08321426A GB8321426A GB2149566A GB 2149566 A GB2149566 A GB 2149566A GB 08321426 A GB08321426 A GB 08321426A GB 8321426 A GB8321426 A GB 8321426A GB 2149566 A GB2149566 A GB 2149566A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
base
support
flange
adjusting screw
adjusting
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08321426A
Other versions
GB8321426D0 (en
Inventor
Robert J Matthys
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Honeywell Inc
Original Assignee
Honeywell Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Honeywell Inc filed Critical Honeywell Inc
Priority to GB08321426A priority Critical patent/GB2149566A/en
Publication of GB8321426D0 publication Critical patent/GB8321426D0/en
Publication of GB2149566A publication Critical patent/GB2149566A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B7/00—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements
    • G02B7/18—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prisms; for mirrors
    • G02B7/182—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prisms; for mirrors for mirrors
    • G02B7/1822—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prisms; for mirrors for mirrors comprising means for aligning the optical axis
    • G02B7/1824—Manual alignment
    • G02B7/1825—Manual alignment made by screws, e.g. for laser mirrors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S3/00—Lasers, i.e. devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wave range
    • H01S3/05—Construction or shape of optical resonators; Accommodation of active medium therein; Shape of active medium
    • H01S3/08—Construction or shape of optical resonators or components thereof
    • H01S3/086—One or more reflectors having variable properties or positions for initial adjustment of the resonator

Abstract

The mechanism is suited to align the reflector of a gas laser and includes a base (12) secured to a laser tube (14), a support (18) secured to reflector (16), a resilient diaphragm (22) coupling the base to the support, a flange (24) secured to the support, and adjusting screws (26A, B, C) passing through and engaging the flange and threaded into the base, movement of the screws causing angular rotation of the support (and hence the reflector) relative to the base. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stable alignment mechanism This invention relates to apparatus for precisely and stably aligning a surface, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for precisely aligning optical surfaces such as, for example, a reflecting surface of a gas laser.
In the prior art there are a large number of methods and apparatus for aligning optical surfaces.
In general, it is relatively easy to provide coarse alignment. But it is relatively difficu It to precisely align a surface, such as the reflective surface in a gas laser. Such applications require a very high precision - on the order of 2 arc seconds - along two mutually perpendicular axes.
Prior art in alignment mechanisms of the class contemplated by this invention usually are an assembly of multiple piece parts, and frequently have two or three pivots about which the surface to be aligned is rotated and several loosely constrained springs to hold the surface against some adjustable stops. In such prior art the aligned surface experiences minute angular and translational motions and uncertainties, due to relative motions between the parts in the assembly when the assembly is adjusted or when external vibrations are experienced. The aim of this invention is to provide a relatively simple, sensitive and stable apparatus for angularly aligning a surface with respect to another surface.
According to the present invention, there is provided a stable alignment mechanism comprising in combination a base, a support, a resilient diaphragm coupling said base to said support and integral therewith, a flange secured to said support, and an adjusting screw passing through and engaging said flange and threaded into said base, whereby movement of the screw causes angular rotation of the support with respect to said base.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal section of a stable alignment mechanism in accordance with the invention used to align the reflecting mirror in a gas laser apparatus. The section is taken along the line 1-1 in Figure 2; and Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus as shown in Figure 1.
Referring now to the drawings, the alignment mechanism has a unitary mounting including a rigid base portion 12 connected to a tube 14 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is the housing of a C02 gas laser. Typically the C02 laser tube 14 is made of a ceramic material, and the unitary mounting is made of a suitable metallic material, such as stainless steel or Invar. The base portion 12 is immovably fixed to the tube 14 by any suitable means known as the art, such as an epoxy.
Similarly a suitable epoxy bonds a reflector 16 to a rigid support portion 18 of the mounting. It will be appreciated that the base and support portions are cylindrical, and are axially aligned with the bore of the tube 14. A relatively thin ring shaped circular diaphragm portion 22 integrally formed with the base and support portions resiliently joins the support to the base portion.
Aflange portion 24 affixed to the support 18 extends out over the base portion 12. The base portion 12 is drilled and tapped to receive Three alignment adjusting screws, 26A, 26B, and 26C.
Corresponding holes are formed in the flange portion 24 so that the heads of the adjusting screws engage the surface of the flange portion 24 as the adjusting screws are screwed into the base portion 12.
The adjusting screws 26A and 26B are positioned 90 degrees apart. These adjusting screws provide for adjustment of the support portion in two orthogonal planes. Adjustment of the screw 26A rotates the support portion 16 about an axis (designated here for convenience as the Y axis) in the plane of the diaphragm portion 22 and which passes through a point at the center of the diaphragm portion 22.
Similarly, adjustment of the screw 26B rotates the support portion about an axis designated in Figure 2 as the X axis, which is also in the plane of the diaphragm portion 22 and passes through a point at the center of the diaphragm portion 22.
The third adjusting screw 26C is preferably located equidistant from the screws 26A and 26B, or 135 degrees from each. It should be noted that the adjusting screws 26A and 268 provide for an aligning adjustment in only one direction about their respective axes. Tightening the screw 26C into the base portion 12 deflects the support portion 18 about both the X and Y axes in a direction opposite to the direction of adjustment provided by screws 26A or 26B. Thus, in operation, the adjusting screw 26C can be used to position the support portion and the reflector within the range of adjusting operation of the screws 26A and 26B.
It should be noted that, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the flange portion 24 is approximately equal to the thickness of the diaphragm portion 22 which connects the support and base portions, However, since the adjusting screws act near the periphery of the flange portion there is a mechanical advantage due to the lever arm of the flange portion, and the apparent stiffness of the flange portion. The sensitivity of the adjustment is a function of this ratio, and in one practical embodiment of the invention, the diaphragm portion is approximately five times stiffer than the flange portion. Thus, for example, an adjusting screw with approximately 40 threads per cm provides approximately 60 arc seconds per quarter turn, but the rotation of the support portion and the laser reflecting mirror on it is only approximately 12 arc seconds. Most of the travel of the adjusting screw is taken up in deflection of the flange portion 24, and only a part of the adjusting screw travel is taken up deflection of the diaphragm portion 22.
1. A stable alignment mechanism comprising in combination a base, a support, a resilient diaphragm coupling said base to said support and integral
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Stable alignment mechanism This invention relates to apparatus for precisely and stably aligning a surface, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for precisely aligning optical surfaces such as, for example, a reflecting surface of a gas laser. In the prior art there are a large number of methods and apparatus for aligning optical surfaces. In general, it is relatively easy to provide coarse alignment. But it is relatively difficu It to precisely align a surface, such as the reflective surface in a gas laser. Such applications require a very high precision - on the order of 2 arc seconds - along two mutually perpendicular axes. Prior art in alignment mechanisms of the class contemplated by this invention usually are an assembly of multiple piece parts, and frequently have two or three pivots about which the surface to be aligned is rotated and several loosely constrained springs to hold the surface against some adjustable stops. In such prior art the aligned surface experiences minute angular and translational motions and uncertainties, due to relative motions between the parts in the assembly when the assembly is adjusted or when external vibrations are experienced. The aim of this invention is to provide a relatively simple, sensitive and stable apparatus for angularly aligning a surface with respect to another surface. According to the present invention, there is provided a stable alignment mechanism comprising in combination a base, a support, a resilient diaphragm coupling said base to said support and integral therewith, a flange secured to said support, and an adjusting screw passing through and engaging said flange and threaded into said base, whereby movement of the screw causes angular rotation of the support with respect to said base. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal section of a stable alignment mechanism in accordance with the invention used to align the reflecting mirror in a gas laser apparatus. The section is taken along the line 1-1 in Figure 2; and Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus as shown in Figure 1. Referring now to the drawings, the alignment mechanism has a unitary mounting including a rigid base portion 12 connected to a tube 14 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is the housing of a C02 gas laser. Typically the C02 laser tube 14 is made of a ceramic material, and the unitary mounting is made of a suitable metallic material, such as stainless steel or Invar. The base portion 12 is immovably fixed to the tube 14 by any suitable means known as the art, such as an epoxy. Similarly a suitable epoxy bonds a reflector 16 to a rigid support portion 18 of the mounting. It will be appreciated that the base and support portions are cylindrical, and are axially aligned with the bore of the tube 14. A relatively thin ring shaped circular diaphragm portion 22 integrally formed with the base and support portions resiliently joins the support to the base portion. Aflange portion 24 affixed to the support 18 extends out over the base portion 12. The base portion 12 is drilled and tapped to receive Three alignment adjusting screws, 26A, 26B, and 26C. Corresponding holes are formed in the flange portion 24 so that the heads of the adjusting screws engage the surface of the flange portion 24 as the adjusting screws are screwed into the base portion 12. The adjusting screws 26A and 26B are positioned 90 degrees apart. These adjusting screws provide for adjustment of the support portion in two orthogonal planes. Adjustment of the screw 26A rotates the support portion 16 about an axis (designated here for convenience as the Y axis) in the plane of the diaphragm portion 22 and which passes through a point at the center of the diaphragm portion 22. Similarly, adjustment of the screw 26B rotates the support portion about an axis designated in Figure 2 as the X axis, which is also in the plane of the diaphragm portion 22 and passes through a point at the center of the diaphragm portion 22. The third adjusting screw 26C is preferably located equidistant from the screws 26A and 26B, or 135 degrees from each. It should be noted that the adjusting screws 26A and 268 provide for an aligning adjustment in only one direction about their respective axes. Tightening the screw 26C into the base portion 12 deflects the support portion 18 about both the X and Y axes in a direction opposite to the direction of adjustment provided by screws 26A or 26B. Thus, in operation, the adjusting screw 26C can be used to position the support portion and the reflector within the range of adjusting operation of the screws 26A and 26B. It should be noted that, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the flange portion 24 is approximately equal to the thickness of the diaphragm portion 22 which connects the support and base portions, However, since the adjusting screws act near the periphery of the flange portion there is a mechanical advantage due to the lever arm of the flange portion, and the apparent stiffness of the flange portion. The sensitivity of the adjustment is a function of this ratio, and in one practical embodiment of the invention, the diaphragm portion is approximately five times stiffer than the flange portion. Thus, for example, an adjusting screw with approximately 40 threads per cm provides approximately 60 arc seconds per quarter turn, but the rotation of the support portion and the laser reflecting mirror on it is only approximately 12 arc seconds.Most of the travel of the adjusting screw is taken up in deflection of the flange portion 24, and only a part of the adjusting screw travel is taken up deflection of the diaphragm portion 22. CLAIMS
1. A stable alignment mechanism comprising in combination a base, a support, a resilient diaphragm coupling said base to said support and integral therewith, a flange secured to said support, and an adjusting screw passing through and engaging said flange and threaded into said base, whereby movement of the screw causes angular rotation of the support with respect to said base.
2. The mechanism of claim 1, including a second adjusting screw passing through and engaging said flange and threaded into said base, said second adjusting screws displaced 90 degrees around the periphery of said flange from said first mentioned adjusting screw.
3. The mechanism of claim 2, further including a third adjusting screw passing through and engaging said flange and threaded into said base, said third adjusting screw located equidistant from said two previously mentioned adjusting screws.
4. The mechanism of claim 1,2, or 3, wherein the apparent stiffness of said flange is less than the apparent stiffness of said diaphragm.
5. A stable alignment mechanism substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6. A gas laser including a mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, the base being secured to a laser housing and the support being secured to a laser reflector.
GB08321426A 1983-08-09 1983-08-09 Stable alignment mechanism Withdrawn GB2149566A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08321426A GB2149566A (en) 1983-08-09 1983-08-09 Stable alignment mechanism

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08321426A GB2149566A (en) 1983-08-09 1983-08-09 Stable alignment mechanism

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8321426D0 GB8321426D0 (en) 1983-09-07
GB2149566A true GB2149566A (en) 1985-06-12

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Family Applications (1)

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Country Status (1)

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0255235A2 (en) * 1986-06-27 1988-02-03 British Aerospace Public Limited Company Cavity alignment spring for a laser
WO2015149194A1 (en) * 2014-04-01 2015-10-08 徐海军 Radio frequency excited gas laser and preparation method therefor
US9563035B2 (en) 2014-04-03 2017-02-07 Ikegps Group Limited Mirror mounting assembly for mounting a mirror in a laser rangefinder

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1454912A (en) * 1973-01-02 1976-11-10 Coherent Radiation Laser Havin resonator
US4050037A (en) * 1976-06-10 1977-09-20 Metrologic Instruments, Inc. Laser beam alignment
GB2007906A (en) * 1977-11-10 1979-05-23 Xerox Corp Laser mirror alignment fixture

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1454912A (en) * 1973-01-02 1976-11-10 Coherent Radiation Laser Havin resonator
US4050037A (en) * 1976-06-10 1977-09-20 Metrologic Instruments, Inc. Laser beam alignment
GB2007906A (en) * 1977-11-10 1979-05-23 Xerox Corp Laser mirror alignment fixture

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0255235A2 (en) * 1986-06-27 1988-02-03 British Aerospace Public Limited Company Cavity alignment spring for a laser
US4831632A (en) * 1986-06-27 1989-05-16 British Aerospace Public Limited Company Method and apparatus for optically aligning a laser cavity
EP0255235A3 (en) * 1986-06-27 1990-01-17 British Aerospace Public Limited Company Cavity alignment spring for a laser
WO2015149194A1 (en) * 2014-04-01 2015-10-08 徐海军 Radio frequency excited gas laser and preparation method therefor
US9563035B2 (en) 2014-04-03 2017-02-07 Ikegps Group Limited Mirror mounting assembly for mounting a mirror in a laser rangefinder

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8321426D0 (en) 1983-09-07

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)