JP2006310465A - Laser processing apparatus and laser resonance module - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser processing apparatus or laser resonance module capable of selecting from a wide range of laser wavelengths. <P>SOLUTION: A laser resonance module 10 is so configured for replacement as to oscillate the laser beam of wanted wavelength that matches a work. So, the laser resonance module 10 is, for example, a single cylindrical or box-like unit that considers attaching/detaching in the laser processing apparatus 100. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus and a laser resonance module used in the apparatus.

Conventionally, in a laser treatment apparatus, a laser treatment apparatus is known in which an emission unit (accessory) having an optical system for guiding and irradiating laser light from a laser light source can be replaced (for example, see Patent Document 1). ). According to such an apparatus, by changing the emission unit, it can be used for treatment of aza, stains, etc. or dental treatment in addition to the laser knife.
JP 2003-613 A

  The laser treatment devices described above use finely tuned laser light of one type of laser wavelength, and there are devices that can change the laser wavelength to m times or 1 / m, but the selectable wavelengths are limited. Therefore, the optimum wavelength for the application could not be obtained, and it was not possible to respond to laser treatment or laser processing for various needs. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a plurality of expensive laser treatment apparatuses or laser processing apparatuses. Further, the output of the variable laser was small, and the device itself was expensive.

  Therefore, a laser processing apparatus or a laser resonance module capable of selecting a wide laser wavelength range has been demanded.

In order to solve the above-described problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, an excitation light source, a laser resonance module that guides light from the excitation light source, resonates, and emits laser light, and the laser resonance module A probe for irradiating the workpiece with emitted laser light, a power supply unit for driving each part, and a control unit for controlling at least emission of the laser light,
The laser resonance module is configured such that the wavelength can be selected according to the workpiece by replacement.

  The laser processing apparatus preferably includes an optical unit for performing focusing on the center of the laser medium of the laser resonance module.

  In the laser processing apparatus, excitation light is preferably introduced to one end side or side surface side of the laser resonance module by an optical fiber.

  In addition, it is preferable that a mark for identifying the wavelength of the emitted laser light is attached to the laser resonance module, and that information is transmitted to the control unit when the laser resonance module is attached.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laser resonance module used in a laser processing apparatus, a substrate having a cooling function, and a laser mounted on the substrate via a first resonance mirror. There is provided a laser resonance module comprising: a medium; a second resonance mirror spaced apart from the laser medium by a predetermined distance; and an envelope holding at least the first and second resonance mirrors. . More preferably, the envelope is cylindrical.

  In the laser resonance module, the laser medium is preferably Nd-added yttrium aluminum garnet.

  In the laser resonance module, it is preferable that an identification color is applied to the envelope corresponding to the laser wavelength.

  Further, when replacing the laser resonance module, it is preferable that the entire outer shape of the envelope or a part of the outer shape thereof corresponds to the receiving mechanism of the envelope for alignment. More preferably, a guide groove is formed in the envelope.

  According to the present invention, a laser processing apparatus capable of selecting a wide laser wavelength range and a laser resonance module used for the apparatus are provided.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, although demonstrated here as a laser processing apparatus, of course, it is not restricted to this, A laser treatment apparatus may be sufficient.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a laser processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a laser medium, oscillates a laser beam having a desired wavelength and is replaceable, and a laser beam on a workpiece. A probe 20 for guiding the light, an excitation light source 30 for introducing stimulated emission into the laser medium introduced into the laser resonance module 10, and an optical unit 40 for focusing the light from the excitation light source 30 on the center of the laser medium; The power supply unit 50 supplies power necessary for the operation of each unit of the laser processing apparatus 100, and the control unit 60 controls each unit of the laser processing apparatus 100.

  The laser resonance module 10 is configured to be replaceable so as to oscillate laser light having a desired wavelength according to the workpiece. Therefore, in the laser processing apparatus 100, the laser resonance module 10 is preferably a single cylindrical body or a rectangular parallelepiped unit considering attachment / detachment, for example.

  The laser resonance module 10 includes a laser medium that introduces light and is pumped to create an inversion distribution to cause stimulated emission, a resonator unit that performs feedback, and an envelope.

  As the laser medium, for example, Nd-added yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) is used. The laser medium is not limited to this, and YAG, quartz glass, multi-component glass, calcium fluoride is used as a host material, and one or more of Pr, Nd, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb are used as a guest (additive). But you can.

  When the wavelength of the excitation LD introduced into the laser resonance module is 808 nm, laser light having a wavelength of 1064 nm is emitted. In order to transmit the LD output to the laser medium (head), an optical fiber is used on the tip side of the optical unit 40, and for example, a single core type can be used as the optical fiber. The excitation light source 30 is not limited to the excitation LD, and may be a lamp light source.

  The optical unit 40 can be composed of, for example, a collimating lens.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the laser resonance module 10 is not limited to a specific structure as long as it has wavelength selectivity corresponding to a workpiece, and even if it is a so-called end face excitation type, a side excitation space type, Any of side excitation fiber types may be used.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the laser resonance module according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a side-pumped or laterally-pumped laser resonance module that introduces pumping light from the side has, for example, a substrate 11 having a cooling function, A laser medium 13 placed via one resonance mirror 12, a second resonance mirror 14 spaced apart from the laser medium 13 by a predetermined distance, and a cylindrical body that holds between the first and second resonance mirrors 12 and 14. The envelope 15 is comprised. The substrate 11 may be made of a material having high thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion. For example, Cu (copper), W (tungsten), AlN (aluminum nitride), Si (silicon), Al ₂ O ₃ (alumina), brass Etc. are suitable. The first and second resonant mirrors 12 and 14 each have a predetermined reflectance and a predetermined transmittance.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an end face excitation type laser resonance module that introduces excitation light from one end face. A first resonant mirror 12 located at one end of the pumping light introduction side, a laser medium 13 supported by a support 16, a second resonant mirror 14 disposed at a predetermined distance from the laser medium 13, It is comprised from the cylindrical envelope 15 holding between the support part 16 and the 1st and 2nd resonance mirrors 12 and 14. FIG. In order to perform the cooling function of the laser medium 13, the support portion 16 is made of, for example, Al having high thermal conductivity, and the support portion 16 is provided with a cooling mechanism (mechanism corresponding to the amount of heat generated, such as water cooling, Peltier, and radiation fins). Can be connected and configured. It is also possible to provide a protrusion on the inner wall of the envelope 15 and fix the laser medium 13 to the protrusion to cool the entire wall.

  Such an end face excitation type laser resonance module can be assembled in the following steps, for example, as shown in FIG.

  First, a cylindrical envelope 15 is prepared (FIG. 4A), and the first resonant mirror 12 is fixed using one end side of the cylindrical envelope 15 into which excitation light is introduced as a reference plane. (FIG. 4B). Next, the laser medium 13 supported by the support portion 16 is fixed at a predetermined position in the envelope 15 (FIG. 4C). Next, the second resonance mirror 14 is inserted into the inside 15 of the envelope, and the position of the second resonance mirror 14 is adjusted and observed while observing the output light with respect to the incident excitation light (FIG. 4D). .

  The control unit 60 controls each unit of the laser processing apparatus 100, but can include a display unit and an operation unit (not shown). It is also preferable to add a predetermined failsafe function in order to ensure the safety of the processing apparatus as well as the operator.

  For example, when the laser resonance module 10 is replaced, a predetermined safety circuit is activated to not only suppress the emission of the laser beam, but also check whether the laser beam has been cooled to a predetermined temperature range, and further guide the replacement procedure by voice. Or display on a display. Further, in order to appropriately set the position of the laser resonance module 10, the envelope 15 of the laser resonance module 10 may be marked. Further, different colors may be given to the envelopes 15 according to the wavelength range of the laser resonance module 10. When replacing the laser resonant module, the entire outer shape of the envelope or a part of the outer shape is made to correspond to the receiving mechanism of the envelope for alignment. For example, it is preferable to form a guide groove in the envelope.

The probe 20 can also be configured to be manually operable. In such a case, the guide light may be used by a known configuration.
As described above, since the laser processing apparatus and the laser resonance module are configured, a wide laser wavelength range can be selected. Further, by combining various laser media with an optical nonlinear crystal or the like that converts the wavelength, a wider range of wavelengths can be selected.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the laser processing apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the structure of the laser resonance module concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the structure of the laser resonance module concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the assembly procedure of the laser resonance module concerning embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Laser processing apparatus, 10 ... Laser resonance module, 20 ... Probe, 30 ... Excitation light source, 40 ... Optical unit, 50 ... Power supply part, 60 ... Control part.

Claims (8)

An excitation light source;
A laser resonance module that guides and resonates light from the excitation light source, and emits laser light;
A probe for irradiating a workpiece with laser light emitted from the laser resonance module;
A power supply unit for driving each part;
A control unit for controlling at least emission of the laser beam;
With
The laser resonance module is configured such that the wavelength can be selected according to the workpiece by replacement.   The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical unit for performing focusing on a center of a laser medium of the laser resonance module.   2. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein excitation light is introduced into one end side or side surface of the laser resonance module by an optical fiber.   The laser resonance module is provided with a mark for identifying a wavelength of an emitted laser beam, and when the laser resonance module is attached, the information is transmitted to the control unit. The laser processing apparatus according to 1.   A laser resonance module used in the laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate has a cooling function, the laser medium is placed on the substrate via a first resonance mirror, and the laser medium A laser resonance module comprising: a second resonance mirror separated by a distance; and an envelope for holding at least the first and second resonance mirrors.   6. The laser resonance module according to claim 5, wherein the laser medium is Nd-doped yttrium aluminum garnet.   6. The laser resonance module according to claim 5, wherein a color for identification is applied to the envelope in accordance with the laser wavelength.   6. The structure according to claim 5, wherein an entire outer shape of the envelope or a part of the outer shape is a structure corresponding to a receiving mechanism of the envelope for alignment when exchanging the laser resonance module. Laser resonant module.

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