JP2685940B2 - Gas laser oscillation device - Google Patents
Gas laser oscillation deviceInfo
- Publication number
- JP2685940B2 JP2685940B2 JP32064189A JP32064189A JP2685940B2 JP 2685940 B2 JP2685940 B2 JP 2685940B2 JP 32064189 A JP32064189 A JP 32064189A JP 32064189 A JP32064189 A JP 32064189A JP 2685940 B2 JP2685940 B2 JP 2685940B2
- Authority
- JP
- Japan
- Prior art keywords
- gas
- main discharge
- laser
- gas laser
- valve
- 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.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- 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
- H01S3/02—Constructional details
- H01S3/03—Constructional details of gas laser discharge tubes
- H01S3/036—Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired gas pressure within the tube, e.g. by gettering, replenishing; Means for circulating the gas, e.g. for equalising the pressure within the tube
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Lasers (AREA)
Description
【発明の詳細な説明】 ［発明の目的］ （産業上の利用分野） 本発明はガスレーザ発振装置に関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a gas laser oscillator.
（従来技術） レーザ光に対して主放電方向が直交するTEACO2レーザ
やエキシマレーザなどのパルスレーザについて、第３図
を参照して説明する。すなわち、レーザ管（１）を有
し、内部に陰極（２）および陽極（３）からなる一対の
主放電電極が所定の主放電空間（４）を形成して設けら
れている。上記主放電空間（４）の近傍に予備電離用の
ピン電極（５）が紙面垂直方向になるレーザ光軸に沿っ
て複数対設けられている。これらピン電極（５）はそれ
ぞれピーキングコンデンサ（６）を介し主電源（７）に
接続されている。レーザ管（１）の内部には上記主放電
電極の他に封入されているガスレーザ媒質を冷却して循
環させる熱交換器（８）、送風機（９）が設けられてい
る。(Prior Art) A pulse laser such as a TEACO 2 laser or an excimer laser whose main discharge direction is orthogonal to the laser light will be described with reference to FIG. That is, it has a laser tube (1) and a pair of main discharge electrodes consisting of a cathode (2) and an anode (3) are provided inside to form a predetermined main discharge space (4). In the vicinity of the main discharge space (4), a plurality of pairs of pin electrodes (5) for preliminary ionization are provided along the laser optical axis which is the direction perpendicular to the paper surface. Each of these pin electrodes (5) is connected to the main power supply (7) via a peaking capacitor (6). Inside the laser tube (1), a heat exchanger (8) and a blower (9) for cooling and circulating the gas laser medium enclosed in addition to the main discharge electrode are provided.
（発明が解決しようとする課題） 上記の構成になるガスレーザ発振装置では、放電時に
陰極（２）および陽極（３）に多量の電気エネルギが注
入され、放電過程で発生するイオンや電子が例えばCC
l4、NiF2などの放電生成物が発生する。生成物のうち固
体のものはガスレーザ媒質中にダストとして混入し、主
放電を不安定にするほか、励起されたレーザ光を吸収
し、レーザ出力が不安定になったり、出力低下を招いて
いた。(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the gas laser oscillator having the above structure, a large amount of electric energy is injected into the cathode (2) and the anode (3) at the time of discharge, and ions or electrons generated during the discharge process are, for example, CC.
Discharge products such as l 4 and NiF 2 are generated. Of the products, solid ones were mixed as dust in the gas laser medium to destabilize the main discharge and absorb the excited laser light, resulting in unstable laser output and reduced output. .
本発明はこのような事情に鑑みてなされたもので、放
電で発生した生成物を除去して長時間安定してレーザ発
振が運転可能なガスレーザ発振を提供する。The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a gas laser oscillation in which products generated by discharge are removed and laser oscillation can be stably operated for a long time.
［発明の構成］ （課題を解決するための手段と作用） ガスレーザ媒質を封入したレーザ管と、このレーザ管
内に対向して設けられた少なくとも一対の主放電電極
と、主放電空間を予備電離するために上記主放電電極の
近傍に設けられたピン電極と、上記主放電空間で発生し
たレーザ光を共振する光共振器とを備えたガスレーザ発
振装置において、上記ガスレーザ管に接続された導入管
および排出管と、これら導入管および排出管とに接続し
たガス処理タンクと、上記導入管側へ設けられた主放電
による圧力上昇時に開く第１の弁と、上記排出側に設け
られ上記ガス処理タンク内にガスレーザ媒質の導入に同
期して開く第２の弁とを備えた構成にしたもので、主放
電で励起されたガスレーザ媒質はこの主放電にほぼ同期
してガス処理タンクに入り、またこのタンク内で処理さ
れたガスがレーザ管内に戻される。[Configuration of the Invention] (Means and Actions for Solving the Problems) A laser tube enclosing a gas laser medium, at least a pair of main discharge electrodes provided in the laser tube so as to face each other, and a main discharge space is preionized. In order to provide a pin electrode provided in the vicinity of the main discharge electrode, and a gas laser oscillator including an optical resonator that resonates the laser light generated in the main discharge space, an introduction tube connected to the gas laser tube and A discharge pipe, a gas treatment tank connected to the introduction pipe and the discharge pipe, a first valve provided on the introduction pipe side to open when pressure rises due to a main discharge, and the gas treatment tank provided on the discharge side. A second valve that opens in synchronism with the introduction of the gas laser medium is provided in the gas treatment tank. The gas laser medium excited by the main discharge enters the gas treatment tank in synchronism with the main discharge. Ri, also gas that has been treated in this tank is returned to the laser tube.
（実施例） 以下、実施例を示す図面に基づいて本発明を説明す
る。第１図は本発明の一実施例で第２図と共通する部分
には同一符号を付している。すなわち、レーザ管（１）
の外部にガス処理タンク（20）が設けられ、これら両者
は導入管（21）および排出管（22）によって接続されて
いる。導入管（21）はその導入口（23）を上記主放電空
間（４）のガスレーザ媒質が下流側出口に対向して接続
されている。一方、ガス処理タンク（20）内にはダスト
状の放電生成物を濾過するフイルタ（24）が設けられて
いる。ガス処理タンク（20）と、導入管（21）および排
出管（22）との各接続部には第１の弁（26）と、この第
１の弁（26）と同一構造になる第２の弁（27）が設けら
れている。第１の弁（26）は主放電時、ガスレーザ媒質
の膨脹で開き、また、第２の弁（27）はガス処理タンク
（20）内にガスレーザ媒質の導入に同期して開き、それ
以外は閉じる弁となっている。これら弁の両者の構造は
同一なので、一方の第１の弁（26）の構造について第２
図で説明する。すなわち、ガス処理タンク（20）におけ
る導入管（21）の出口部周囲のガス処理タンク（20）の
内壁部にＯリング（28）が埋設されている。第１の弁
（26）は軸（29）を支点にして回動自在になっている。
第１の弁（26）の軸（29）に軸支されている端部部分は
バネ（30）に付勢され、このバネ（30）によって第１の
弁（26）はＯリング（28）に常時当接されている。な
お、導入管（21）および排出管（22）の管路の中途部に
はバルブ（31a），（31b）が接続されている。Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings showing examples. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and the portions common to those in FIG. That is, the laser tube (1)
A gas treatment tank (20) is provided outside the chamber, and both are connected by an introduction pipe (21) and a discharge pipe (22). The introduction pipe (21) is connected to the introduction port (23) so that the gas laser medium in the main discharge space (4) faces the downstream exit. On the other hand, a filter (24) for filtering dust-like discharge products is provided in the gas treatment tank (20). A first valve (26) is provided at each connection between the gas processing tank (20) and the inlet pipe (21) and the exhaust pipe (22), and a second valve having the same structure as the first valve (26). Valve (27) is provided. During the main discharge, the first valve (26) opens due to the expansion of the gas laser medium, and the second valve (27) opens in synchronization with the introduction of the gas laser medium into the gas treatment tank (20). It is a closing valve. Since the structures of both of these valves are the same, the structure of one of the first valves (26) is
This will be described with reference to the drawings. That is, the O-ring (28) is embedded in the inner wall portion of the gas treatment tank (20) around the outlet of the introduction pipe (21) in the gas treatment tank (20). The first valve (26) is rotatable around the shaft (29) as a fulcrum.
An end portion of the first valve (26) which is axially supported by the shaft (29) is biased by a spring (30), and the spring (30) causes the first valve (26) to be an O-ring (28). Is always in contact with. The valves (31a) and (31b) are connected to the middle portions of the conduits of the introduction pipe (21) and the discharge pipe (22).
上記の構成で、送風機（８）が駆動され、レーザ管
（１）内に封入されたガスレーザ媒質はおよそ10m/min
の速度で循環されてる。一方、複数のピン電極（５）が
一斉に放電し主放電空間（４）が予備電離された直後、
主放電が点弧する。この点弧で主放電空間（４）のガス
レーザ媒質は主放電時の電気エネルギに加熱され、局部
的に圧力が２〜３倍となる。このガス圧上昇に押され、
第１の弁（26）が開き、ガスレーザ媒質の一部が導入管
（21）よりガス処理タンク（20）内に流入する。この流
入によって第２の弁（27）が開き、流入した流量分が排
出管（22）を経てレーザ管（１）に戻される。この戻さ
れたガスレーザ媒質はフイルタ（24）によって清浄にさ
れている。なお、この清浄作用が繰り返され一定時間経
過後、バルブ（31a），（31b）を閉じ、フイルタ（24）
のみ、またはガス処理タンク（20）全体を新しいものと
交換する。With the above configuration, the blower (8) is driven, and the gas laser medium enclosed in the laser tube (1) is approximately 10 m / min.
It is circulated at the speed of. On the other hand, immediately after the plurality of pin electrodes (5) are simultaneously discharged and the main discharge space (4) is preionized,
The main discharge fires. By this ignition, the gas laser medium in the main discharge space (4) is heated by the electric energy at the time of main discharge, and the pressure locally becomes 2 to 3 times. Pushed by this rise in gas pressure,
The first valve (26) opens, and a part of the gas laser medium flows into the gas processing tank (20) through the introduction pipe (21). Due to this inflow, the second valve (27) is opened, and the flow rate of the inflow is returned to the laser tube (1) via the discharge tube (22). The returned gas laser medium is cleaned by the filter (24). The cleaning action is repeated, and after a certain period of time, the valves (31a) and (31b) are closed and the filter (24) is closed.
Replace only or the entire gas treatment tank (20) with a new one.
なお、上記実施例ではガスレーザ媒質を濾過するため
にフイルタを用いたが、触媒を用いて濾過してもよい。Although a filter is used to filter the gas laser medium in the above-mentioned embodiment, a catalyst may be used for filtering.
［発明の効果］ 以上のように、放電による圧力上昇でガスレーザ媒質
を取り込んで濾過したので、レーザ発振の繰り返し動作
にほぼ比例してガスレーザ媒質が濾過され、繰り返し動
作に関係なくレーザ管内が常に清浄に保たれる。したが
って、放電生成物によるレーザ光の吸収が無くなり、ガ
スレーザ媒質のガス寿命が従来に比べて1.2〜1.5倍程度
のびた。[Effects of the Invention] As described above, since the gas laser medium is taken in and filtered by the pressure increase due to the discharge, the gas laser medium is filtered almost in proportion to the repeated operation of the laser oscillation, and the inside of the laser tube is always cleaned regardless of the repeated operation. Kept in. Therefore, the absorption of the laser beam by the discharge product is eliminated, and the gas life of the gas laser medium is extended by 1.2 to 1.5 times that of the conventional case.
第１図は本発明の一実施例を示す断面図、第２図は第１
図のＡ部における拡大図、第３図は従来例を示す断面図
である。 （１）……レーザ管 （２）……陰極 （３）……陽極 （５）……ピン電極 （20）……ガス処理タンク （26）……第１の弁 （27）……第２の弁FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part A in the figure, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a conventional example. (1) …… Laser tube (2) …… Cathode (3) …… Anode (5) …… Pin electrode (20) …… Gas treatment tank (26) …… First valve (27) …… Second Valve
Claims (1)
のレーザ管内に対向して設けられた少なくとも一対の主
放電電極と、主放電空間を予備電離するために上記主放
電電極の近傍に設けられたピン電極と、上記主放電空間
で発生したレーザ光を共振する光共振器とを備えたガス
レーザ発振装置において、上記ガスレーザ管に接続され
た導入管および排出管と、これら導入管および排出管と
に接続したガス処理タンクと、上記導入管側へ設けられ
主放電による圧力上昇時に開く第１の弁と、上記排出管
側に設けられ上記ガス処理タンク内にガスレーザ媒質の
導入に同期して開く第２の弁とを備えたことを特徴とす
るガスレーザ発振装置。1. A laser tube enclosing a gas laser medium, at least a pair of main discharge electrodes provided in the laser tube so as to face each other, and a main discharge electrode provided near the main discharge electrode for preionizing the main discharge space. A pin electrode and an optical resonator for resonating the laser light generated in the main discharge space, an introduction pipe and an exhaust pipe connected to the gas laser pipe, and the introduction pipe and the exhaust pipe. Connected to the gas treatment tank, a first valve provided on the introduction pipe side and opened when the pressure rises due to the main discharge, and a gas treatment tank provided on the discharge pipe side and opened in synchronization with the introduction of the gas laser medium into the gas treatment tank. A gas laser oscillator comprising a second valve.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP32064189A JP2685940B2 (en) | 1989-12-12 | 1989-12-12 | Gas laser oscillation device |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP32064189A JP2685940B2 (en) | 1989-12-12 | 1989-12-12 | Gas laser oscillation device |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| JPH03183177A JPH03183177A (en) | 1991-08-09 |
| JP2685940B2 true JP2685940B2 (en) | 1997-12-08 |
Family
ID=18123678
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP32064189A Expired - Fee Related JP2685940B2 (en) | 1989-12-12 | 1989-12-12 | Gas laser oscillation device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JP2685940B2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH06188485A (en) * | 1992-12-21 | 1994-07-08 | Jgc Corp | Gas regenerating apparatus for carbon dioxide gas laser |
| JPH06237029A (en) * | 1993-02-09 | 1994-08-23 | Nec Corp | Discharge excited excimer laser device |
-
1989
- 1989-12-12 JP JP32064189A patent/JP2685940B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPH03183177A (en) | 1991-08-09 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| S111 | Request for change of ownership or part of ownership |
Free format text: JAPANESE INTERMEDIATE CODE: R313115 |
|
| R350 | Written notification of registration of transfer |
Free format text: JAPANESE INTERMEDIATE CODE: R350 |
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| LAPS | Cancellation because of no payment of annual fees |