JP2941498B2 - Laser oscillator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a laser oscillator, and more particularly to a laser oscillator.
The present invention relates to a laser oscillator in which a conductive medium is used in a pressurized state .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an excimer laser oscillator, a high voltage of several tens of kV is applied between main electrodes to generate glow discharge for several tens to several hundreds of nanoseconds, and a gas circulating so as to continuously pass between the main electrodes is generated. An active medium such as a rare gas dimer, a rare gas oxide, or a rare gas atom combined with a halogen atom, which is contained in about 1% by volume, is excited to an excimer state, which is generated when returning to a state before the excitation. This is a device for resonating light of uniform wavelength between mirrors and extracting it as laser light.

The excimer laser oscillator will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. In order to generate a glow discharge between the main cathode 44 and the main anode 46, first, the electric charge stored in the storage capacitor 50 is operated by a peaking condenser 41 by circuit operation. Move to At this time, the electric charge is transferred to the preliminary ionization pin 4
7 causes an arc discharge to the preliminary ionization gas 48 and is transmitted.
At this time, the circulating gas between the main electrodes receives ultraviolet rays generated by the arc discharge and is preliminarily ionized. The electric charge transferred to the peaking capacitor 41 by following such a process flows between the main electrodes after the voltage between the main electrodes reaches the break voltage, and glow discharge occurs. This glow discharge is repeated several times to several times by repeatedly charging and discharging the capacitors 50 and 41.
The gas circulation fan 5 generates power at a repetition rate of 00 times / second and always supplies a fresh active medium at the time of discharge.
6 has become. The heat exchange fins 55 are provided in the gas circulation channel for cooling the active medium heated by the glow discharge.

At this time, the active medium is usually used in a pressurized state in order to efficiently obtain a laser output. Therefore, the casing 57 surrounding the gas flow passage, the anode plate 45, the built-in condenser block 70, and the cathode plate 43 constitute a pressure-resistant container. In other words, the anode plate 45 is airtightly fastened to the casing 57 with the fastening bolts 63 via the pressure-resistant seals 62, and the cathode plate 43 and the anode plate 45 are sandwiched between the built-in capacitor blocks 70 via the pressure-resistant seals 52 and 53. Are fastened by insulator fastening bolts 51 made of a material having high electrical insulation such as resin.

As described above, the peaking condenser 41
Built-in condenser block 70 with built-in
Is used as a part of the container wall of the pressure-resistant container.
As shown in the figure, the structure is sandwiched by insulator fastening bolts 51 penetrating the insulator 42 at an appropriate pitch,
The peaking condenser 41 fixed to the negative / anode plates 43 and 45 by the electrodes 58 and 59 has a structure in which an excessive tension does not act.

However, several to several tens of peaking capacitors 41 are required to be incorporated in the insulator 42 depending on the laser output. However, since the insulator fastening bolts 51 are provided at a constant pitch, the peaking capacitor 41 is incorporated. The pitch becomes wider by that amount, so that the number of peaking capacitors 41 that can be incorporated is reduced by almost half, and the dimensions of the insulator 42 increase in order to incorporate the required number. Further, since a hole for assembling a capacitor is formed in the insulator 42 with a strength as a pressure-resistant wall, the distance between the axis of the peaking capacitor 41 and the main electrodes 44 and 46 is made longer than necessary. This distance is peaking condenser 4
1 is a factor related to the discharge time when the discharge causes a glow discharge between the main electrodes 44 and 46. The value is a reference value of the laser output characteristic. The shorter the value, the better the laser output characteristic. The laser output characteristic is accurately evaluated by evaluating the value obtained by multiplying the path length of the electric charge by the discharge length when the glow discharge occurs between the main electrodes 44 and 46 by discharging the peaking capacitor 41, that is, the structural inductance. However, in order to reduce the structural inductance, the peaking capacitor 41 should be connected to the main electrodes 44 and 4 as much as possible.
A layout close to 6 means that the laser output characteristics are improved.

[0007]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in view of such circumstances, and has heretofore been described as having separate parts.
Peaking capacitors, insulators and insulation
By integrating the body fastening bolts, the capacitor
-Reduce the size of the block and, consequently, the volume of the laser oscillator.
To improve mold output and laser output characteristics
It is .

[0008]

For this purpose, the laser of the present invention is provided.
Heather oscillator, the laser oscillator active medium is used under pressure, inside the active medium of the pressurized gas
A pressure vessel having a pressure passage formed therein, wherein the pressure vessel has a casing, an anode plate, a capacitor block incorporating a peaking capacitor in an insulator, and a cathode plate stacked in this order. while being configured comprises upper Symbol capacitor block, a dielectric, and a cathode and an anode forming the peaking capacitor with opposing disposed on both sides the same dielectric material sandwiched attached to the dielectric of the same dielectric In addition, the dielectric, the cathode and the anode are insulators, and the cathode and the anode are partly formed so as to be partially exposed on the surface of the insulator, thereby forming an integral structure, and the surface of the insulator is formed. A part of the cathode exposed to the outside constitutes a fastening portion for fastening the capacitor block to the cathode plate, and a part of the anode exposed to the surface of the insulator corresponds to the core. Den Sir block characterized in that it forms a fastening portion for fastening to the anode plate.

[0009]

According to the present invention described above, each part of the cathode and the anode exposed on the surface of the insulator of the capacitor block functions as a fastening portion for fastening the capacitor block to the cathode plate and the anode plate. body fastening bolts is not necessary, the results condenser be laid at twice the density, size reduction of the condenser block, Facial
In addition, the size of the laser oscillator can be reduced. Further, since the insulator functions as a pressure-resistant container wall, the capacitor can be arranged at a position closest to the main electrode in the block, and the structural inductance can be minimized.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the laser oscillator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings . FIG. 1 shows an excimer laser oscillator .
Sectional view showing a condenser integral part, Figure 2 shows a condenser, Fig. (A) is a front view, FIG. (B) is a side view, Figure 3 shows a modification of the condensers, Fig (A) is Front view,
4B is a side view , FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the capacitor of FIG. 3 is incorporated in an excimer laser oscillator, and FIG.
Is a perspective view of the condenser block.

In FIGS . 1 and 2, a dielectric material containing barium titanate as a main component is formed in a plate shape (10 W × 2H × 300).
L), the plate-shaped dielectric element 1 sintered is sandwiched between a cathode 2 and an anode 3 made of an aluminum alloy and having a thickness capable of withstanding a tensile force as a fastening bolt, and a 20 μm-thick Ti-Al alloy brazing material is bonded. Heating was performed at a temperature of 750 ° C. for 1 hour for bonding between the surfaces 7 and 8. The condenser 9 manufactured in this way is
An integrated capacitor block 10 is formed by casting with an insulator 4 of an epoxy resin, and a cathode 2 and an anode 3 are formed.
Are exposed on the surface of the insulator 4 respectively. In addition, after casting, the resin was heated to 100 ° C., gelled and cast, then removed from the mold, and 100 ° C./3 hours, 130 ° C.
A curing treatment of C / 5 hours was performed.

[0012] The condenser block 10 of this is, in Figure 1
Embedded Murrell the excimer laser oscillator in the state shown. You
Ie, between the anode plate 45 of the cathode plate 43 and the main anode 46 of the main cathode 44 in the casing 57, the withstand voltage seal 52,5
3, a capacitor block 10 is inserted, and bolts 5 and 6 are screwed and fixed to the anode 2 and the cathode 3, respectively. In the figure, reference numeral 47 denotes a preionization pin, and 48 denotes a preionization cap. By this incorporation, the capacitor 9 is laid out symmetrically with the main electrodes 44 and 46 interposed therebetween, and has a capacitance of, for example, 20 nF. Assuming that the circulating gas pressure is 8 atm, the tensile force applied to the cathode 2 and the anode 3 is about 1.5 k.
g / mm ² , which is a stress that can withstand sufficiently. Further, the brazed portion and the plate-like dielectric element 11 were subjected to a tensile test under overload conditions, and it was confirmed that they could be used under these stress conditions. Thus, this condenser block 10
The built- in excimer laser transmitter reduced the volume of the block portion to about 1/2, and the laser oscillator test improved the laser output by 20%, confirming the effects of compactness and improved output characteristics.

In FIG . 3, a disk-shaped dielectric element 11 obtained by sintering the same dielectric material as described above in a disk shape (30φ × 10 t) is provided with a cathode 2 and an anode 3 in the same manner as described above.
The bonded with brazing, as a capacitor block overstuffed integral casting into epoxy resin in a further similar manner, it was carried oscillation test Nde built it to excimer laser oscillator. As a result, the same effects as those described above were confirmed.

[0014] Further, FIG. 4, 5, on the same disk-shaped dielectric element 11 and that of FIG. 3, by bonding a cathode 22 and anode 23 of the rod-like in brazing making a capacitor, said the well
And a condenser block 30 integral cast resin in the same manner as. This capacitor block 30 was assembled in an excimer laser oscillator as in FIG. 1 and an oscillation test was carried out to confirm the same effect.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) Since each part of the cathode and anode exposed on the surface of the insulator of the capacitor block functions as a fastening part for fastening the capacitor block to the cathode plate and the anode plate,
Insulator fastening bolts in the prior art are not required, and as a result, the capacitors incorporated in the laser oscillator can be laid out at twice the density, and the size of the capacitor block can be reduced. (2) Since the insulator functions as a pressure-resistant container wall, the capacitor can be arranged at a position closest to the main electrode in the block, and the structural inductance can be minimized. (3) According to the above (1) and (2), that is, by integrating the peaking capacitor, the insulator, and the insulator fastening bolt, which were conventionally separate components, into one, the size of the capacitor block can be reduced, and the volume of the laser oscillator can be reduced. Can be reduced in size and the laser output characteristics can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a cross-sectional view showing the capacitor built-portion of the engaging Rue screeching over the laser oscillator to the real施例of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show a condenser in the above, wherein FIG. 2A is a front view and FIG. 2B is a side view.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a modified example of the condenser in the above , wherein FIG. 3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a side view.

A capacitor over a [4] 3 is a sectional view showing a state incorporated in excimer laser oscillator.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the condenser block in the above.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a known excimer laser oscillator.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plate-shaped dielectric element 2 Cathode 3 Anode 4 Insulator 5,6 Volt 7,8 Contact surface 9 Capacitor 10 Capacitor block 11 Disc-shaped dielectric element 22 Cathode 23 Anode 30 Capacitor block 43 Cathode plate 44 Main cathode 45 Anode plate 46 Main anode 47 Pre-ionization pin 48 Pre-ionization cap 52, 53 Pressure-resistant seal 57 Casing

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tetsuo Ichiraizaki 4-6-22 Kannonshinmachi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima Sanritsu Heavy Industries, Ltd. Hiroshima Research Laboratory (72) Inventor Masanori Masmoto 4-6-kannonshinmachi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima-shi No. 22 Inside the Hiroshima Laboratory, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (56) References JP-A-62-55981 (JP, A) JP-A-4-350982 (JP, A) Fully open 2-73755 (JP, U) Fully open Hei 4-20254 (JP, U) JP 59-10077 (JP, B2) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01S 3/097-3/0977 H01S 3/03-3 / 038

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A laser oscillator in which an active medium is used in a pressurized state.
A pressure vessel having a pressure passage formed therein, wherein the pressure vessel has a casing, an anode plate, a capacitor block incorporating a peaking capacitor in an insulator, and a cathode plate stacked in this order. while being configured, comprises upper Symbol capacitor block, a dielectric, and a cathode and an anode forming the peaking capacitor with opposing disposed on both sides the same dielectric material sandwiched attached to the dielectric of the same dielectric In addition, the dielectric, the cathode and the anode are insulators, and the cathode and the anode are partly formed so as to be partially exposed on the surface of the insulator, thereby forming an integral structure, and the surface of the insulator is formed. A part of the cathode exposed to constitute a fastening part for fastening the capacitor block to the cathode plate, and a part of the anode exposed to the surface of the insulator is Characterized in that the capacitor over the block to form a fastening portion for fastening to the anode plate, Les
User oscillator .