IL46480A - Liquid laser device - Google Patents

Claims (10)

1. (e) divertcr means disposed in said outlet chamber arranged and adapted to at least substantially prevent increase in pressure in said liquid laser material as it flows out of said active region; (f) high intensity light mea s for energizing liquid laser material in said active region; (g) removable means for directing a flow of coolant ove said light means, said means including a pair of elongated generally U-shaped reflective member's/ said light means being disposed in said U-shaped members whereby substantially all of the light from said light means is directed into said active region; (h) insulating means at least substantially preventing the transfer of heat into said liquid laser material through said inleir. chamber first side portions; and (i) means ¾r coupling said lasr»r beam out of said body member along said optical axis.

2. The laser device of claim 1 wherein said diverter' means obstructs the flow of liquid flowing out of said active region along said transverse .axis , said diverter means defining a flow path along each said second side portion.

3. The laser device of claim 2 wherein said divertcr means comprises a diverter member extending the length of said active region. ~ 22 d ·' '·· A.

4. The laser device of claim 3 wherein said divertcr nser-bor includes an annular hollow member generally cylindrical in cross section, said hollow member having a longitudinal axis parallel to said optical axis and being spaced a distance from said optical axis of the order of the diameter of said hollow member. ; ■.

5. The laser device of claim Λ wherein said hollow .member has a plurality of ports coupling the interior of said ■outlet chamber with the interior of said hollow members, and the interior of said hollow member is coupled to said outlet chamber outlet port.

6. The laser device of claim 5 wherein the ports in said hollow member are remote from said second side portions whereby liquid laser material must flow at least substantially past said second side portions.

7. The laser device of claim 2 wherein said body membe .comprises: .. . ■. (a) a hollow rigid center frame member; and (b) oppositely disposed side members sealably connectcc to said frame member, said transparent wall members being sealably connected to the inner surfaces. of said side members centrally of said frame member, and said removable means is sealabl carried by and projects through sa d side members and " into said wall members. ' *· )

8. A liquid laser device for producing an output laser beam along its optical axis and employing a liquid laser material comprising: f a ; 1 -*. . (a) r.ieans defining an elongated active region including first and second oppositely .disposed curved transparent side walls, said side walls each convexly curving inwardly, said active region having a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis defining said optical axis, said active region having an inlet and an outlet portion extending the length of and on opposite sides of said optical axis; . (b) . inlet chamber means defining an inlet chamber coupled to said active region inlet portion for directing liquid laser material into said active region, said inlet chamber means * including third and fourth elongated oppositely disposed converging side walls at said active region inlet portion; (c) outlet chambe means" defining an outlet chamber coupled to said active region outlet portion for receiving said liquid laser material from said active region, said outlet chamber means including fifth and sixth elongated oppositely disposed diverging side vjalls at- said active region outlet portion; (d) first means for receiving liquid laser material under pressure from a source of .liquid laser material . and introducing said liquid laser material into said inlet chamber; .' ' (e) second means for exhausting liquid laser material from said outlet chamber; ... · (f) diverter means disposed in -said outlet chamber ·■■·.·· arranged and adapted to at least substantially prevent increase, in pressure in said liquid laser material as it flows out of said active region; (g) high intensity light means for energizing liquid laser material in said active region; (h) removable weans for directing a flow of coolant over said light means, said means including an elongated U-shaped reflective member the extreme ends of which abut the exterior of said first and second side, walls, said light means being disposed in said U-shaped members whereby substantially ail of the light from said light means is directed into said active region; * {i) insulating means at least substantially preventing the transfer of teat into said liquid laser material through said inlet chamber side walls'; and (j) means fox- coupling said laser beam out of said active region along said optical axis.

9. The laser device of claim 8 wherein said diverter means comprises an obstruction to the flow of liquid- i said outlet chamber means along said transverse axis and forces liquid flowing out of said active region to flow substantially uniformly along said fifth and sixth side walls.

10. The laser device of claim 9 wherein said diverter means comprises an annular hollow first member extending the . length of said active region and having a longitudinal axis parallel with and spaced frora said Optical axis, said first member being disposed substantially intermediate and spaced from said outlet ch mer means fifth and sixth side walls, said first membe having a plurality of ports coupling the interior . of said outlet chamber means with the interior of said first member, and the interior of said first member is coupled to said second means. 13. The cell of claim 12 wherein said divcrter means co.-pr an obstruction to the flew of liquid along said optical axis entering said outlet chamber and forcing said liquid flowing out of said active region to flow substantially uniformly a 1 said curved wall members and tend to prevent ncn-uniform flo conditions in said liquid laser material leaving said active region. 14. The laser cell of claim 12 wherein said civerter means includes a diverter member having opposed side surface generally converging toward said optical a>:is ar.d spaced from said curved wall members to define fluid flow paths the along, said side surfaces having a curvature substantially t sams as that of said curved wall members opposite therefrom. . 15.. The laser cell of claim 14 wherein said diverter means includes an elongated hollow liquid cutlet manifold di posed in said outlet chamber for receiving liquid laser mate from said diverter member and exhausting said liquid from sn outlet chamber. . 16. The laser cell of claim 12 wherein said diverter weans comprises an elongated generally cylindrical hollow liquid outlet manifold having a longitudinal axis parallel . to said optical axis, said manifold being spaced a distance, from said optical axis of the order of the diameter of said manifold. * 17. A cell for a laser utilizing a flowing liquid laser material flowing in a direction transverse to and through an optical axis, said cell comprising: an inlet chamber for receiving said liquid laser material; an outlet chamber for exhausting said liquid laser material; a pair of oppositely disposed wall members defining a passage for said liquid laser material between said inlet and outlet chambers; an active region for lasing within said passage, said active region being defined between portions of said pair of oppositely disposed wall members; said wall members extending substantially parallel to said optical axis and converging toward each other in the direction from said inlet chamber to said active region; and means disposed in said passage generally toward said outlet chamber from said active region for substantially preventing increase in pressure in said liquid laser material flowing out of said active region toward said outlet chamber. 18. The cell of claim 17 wherein said means for preventing pressure increase—comprises an obstruction to the flow of said liquid laser material transverse to said optical axis toward said outlet chamber which forces said liquid laser material in flowing out of said active region to flow substantially along said wall members thereby to prevent flow separation in said active region. ( ( 19. The cell of claim 17 wherein said means for preventing pressure increase includes an obstruction to the flow of said liquid laser material from said active region to prevent flow separation of said liquid laser material in said active region. 20. The cell of claim 17 wherein said means for preventing pressure increase includes means for generally maintaining the cross sectional area down stream of said active region similar to the cross sectional area of said active region. 21. The cell of claim 17 wherein said means for preventing pressure increase is formed of an inert thermally insulating material. 22. The cell of claim 17 further including: a source of excitation radiation extending generally parallel to said optical axis and located behind each of said wall members to direct excitation therefrom toward said active region; said wall members adjacent said active region having a material transparent to said excitation radiation. c 23. A laser producing a laser output beam along an optical axis of said laser from a liquid laser medium flowing in a direction transverse and through said optical axis, said laser comprising: an inlet chamber for receiving said liquid laser material; an outlet chamber for exhausting said liquid laser material; a pair of oppositely disposed wall members defining a passage for said liquid laser material between said inlet and outlet chambers; an active lasing region within said passage, said active region being defined between portions of said pair of oppositely disposed wall members; said wall members extending substantially parallel to said optical axis and converging towards each other in the direction from said inlet chamber to said active region; the portions of said pair of oppositely disposed wall members defining said active region including transparent windows; source means for providing optical pumping of said liquid laser material and placed to illuminate said active region through said windows ; means for flowing said liquid laser material through said active lasing region from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber; and means disposed in said passage for said liquid laser material generally toward said outlet chamber from said active region for substantially preventing increase in pressure in said liquid laser material flowing out of said active region toward said outlet chamber. ( 24. The laser of claim 23 wherein said source means of laser optical pumping includes flashlamps. 25. The laser of claim 24 further including reflectors for directing flashlamp emissions toward said active region. 26. The laser of claim 24 wherein said windows comprise quartz . 27. The laser of claim 24 wherein said flashlamps extend substantially parallel to said optical axis. 28. The laser of claim 24 further including means for substantially preventing the transfer of heat from said flash-lamp into said liquid laser material. 29. The laser of claim 23 wherein said means for preventing pressure increase comprises an obstruction to the flow of said liquid laser material transverse to said optical axis toward said outlet chamber which forces said liquid laser material in flowing out of said active region to flow substantially along said wall members thereby to prevent flow separation in said active region. ( 30. The laser of claim 23 wherein said means for preventing — pressure -increase_inaludes_an__ol).s.truc.tion_to_.the flow of said liquid laser material from said active region to prevent flow separation of said liquid laser material in said active region. 31. The laser of claim 23 X-zherein said means for preventing pressure increase includes means for generally maintaining the cross-sectional area downstream of said active region similar to the cross-sectional area of said active region. 32. The laser of claim 23 wherein said means for preventing pressure increase is formed of an inert thermally insulating material. For the Applicants OR. H0L0 COHN AND PARTNERS