JPH02235382A - Microwave laser device - Google Patents

Microwave laser device

Info

Publication number
JPH02235382A
JPH02235382A JP5510889A JP5510889A JPH02235382A JP H02235382 A JPH02235382 A JP H02235382A JP 5510889 A JP5510889 A JP 5510889A JP 5510889 A JP5510889 A JP 5510889A JP H02235382 A JPH02235382 A JP H02235382A
Authority
JP
Japan
Prior art keywords
discharge
microwave
laser
discharge part
gas
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.)
Pending
Application number
JP5510889A
Other languages
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
Hideomi Takahashi
秀臣 高橋
Kiyohisa Terai
清寿 寺井
Kazuo Minami
和雄 南
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.)
Toshiba Corp
Original Assignee
Toshiba Corp
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 Toshiba Corp filed Critical Toshiba Corp
Priority to JP5510889A priority Critical patent/JPH02235382A/en
Publication of JPH02235382A publication Critical patent/JPH02235382A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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
    • H01S3/09—Processes or apparatus for excitation, e.g. pumping
    • H01S3/097—Processes or apparatus for excitation, e.g. pumping by gas discharge of a gas laser
    • H01S3/0975—Processes or apparatus for excitation, e.g. pumping by gas discharge of a gas laser using inductive or capacitive excitation

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Lasers (AREA)

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the efficiency of a laser device by housing a discharge part in a vacuum vessel and making a cross-sectional area small. CONSTITUTION:A microwave electric power 2 that is radiated by a microwave oscillator 1 is injected into an electric discharge part 5 in which a low pressure laser gas at several Torr is sealed through a partition 4. Glow discharge 6 is formed and a laser gas that is driven through a cycle inside the discharge part is excited through a discharge. In such a case, as the cross sectional area of a waveguide discharge part 5a is made up on a small scale, a uniform glow discharge is ignited. Then a laser light 19 is amplified and outputted by the laser gas that is excited through the discharge in this way. Subsequently, microwave energy is injected in the waveguide discharge part effectively and a uniform glow discharge is formed. Further, as the discharge part 5 is housed in an exclusive vacuum vessel 7, the vacuum condition of the discharge part is kept at a state that is more stable and a firm, compact microwave layer device is thus obtained.

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、マイクロ波放電励起を行うマイクロ波レーザ
装置に関するものである。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a microwave laser device that performs microwave discharge excitation.

（従来の技術） 一般に、レーザ発振を得るためには、レーザ媒質中で空
間的に均一な放電の生成を必要とするが、特にマイクロ
波を放電励起に用いる場合、このことは非常に重要とな
る。即ち、マイクロ波を通常のレーザ発振で用いられる
圧力（２０〜２００Ｔｏｒｒ）で用いると、放電維持電
圧、即ち、定常運転電圧に比べ、放電開始電圧が遥かに
高いため、放電を発生させるに充分な強度のマイクロ波
が醜電部に入射すると、入口付近に放電が集中的に生じ
る。そのため、この部分に高密度のプラズマが形成され
、インピーダンスが極端に低下する。その結果、入射マ
イクロ波は放電部に入った途端にほとんど１００％が反
射されてしまい、放電空間に有効に電気人力が供給され
ないことになる。(Prior art) Generally, in order to obtain laser oscillation, it is necessary to generate a spatially uniform discharge in the laser medium, but this is especially important when microwaves are used for discharge excitation. Become. That is, when microwaves are used at the pressure used in normal laser oscillation (20 to 200 Torr), the discharge starting voltage is much higher than the discharge sustaining voltage, that is, the steady-state operating voltage, so it is not enough to generate a discharge. When high-intensity microwaves are incident on the ugly electrical section, discharge occurs concentrated near the entrance. Therefore, high-density plasma is formed in this portion, and the impedance is extremely reduced. As a result, almost 100% of the incident microwave is reflected as soon as it enters the discharge area, and electric power is not effectively supplied to the discharge space.

この様な問題点を解決するために、Ａｐｐ　ｌ　ｉ．Ｐ
ｈｙｓ．Ｌｅ　ｔ　ｔ．，３７　（８）．ｐ６７３（１
９８０）に、第３図に示した様なマイクロ波レーザ装置
が提案されている。即ち、第３図において、レーザガス
３１は放電部の上部人口３２より高圧で供給され、誘電
体から構成されたノズル３３を通過すると共に高速とな
り、ガス圧力が低下する。一方、放電励起に用いられる
マイクロ波３４は、図中左方より導波管３５によって供
給され、マイクロ波を透過する圧力隔壁３６を通してレ
ーザ放電部４１に供給される。In order to solve these problems, Appli i. P
hys. Let t. , 37 (8). p673(1
980) proposed a microwave laser device as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 3, laser gas 31 is supplied at a high pressure from an upper part 32 of the discharge section, and as it passes through a nozzle 33 made of a dielectric material, the speed increases and the gas pressure decreases. On the other hand, microwaves 34 used for discharge excitation are supplied from the left side in the figure by a waveguide 35, and are supplied to the laser discharge section 41 through a pressure partition 36 that transmits microwaves.

ここで、レーザ放電部４１の空間の内、ノズル３３の前
方の空間３７は高圧力であるため、空間３７においては
放電は発生しない。一方、ノズル３３の後方の空間３８
においてはガス圧力が低下するので、この部分にマイク
ロ波放電が発生する。Here, in the space of the laser discharge section 41, the space 37 in front of the nozzle 33 has a high pressure, so no discharge occurs in the space 37. On the other hand, the space 38 behind the nozzle 33
Since the gas pressure decreases in this area, microwave discharge occurs in this area.

この部分での放電は低ガス圧中での放電であるため一様
となり、レーザ放電部４１の下流側に配設された光共振
器３９により、マイクロ波で励起されたレーザガス中を
通るレーザ光が増幅発振される。また、排出ガス４０は
真空ポンプによって、図中右方へ排出されている。The discharge in this part is uniform because it is a discharge in a low gas pressure, and the laser beam passes through the laser gas excited by microwaves by the optical resonator 39 disposed downstream of the laser discharge section 41. is amplified and oscillated. Further, the exhaust gas 40 is discharged to the right in the figure by a vacuum pump.

（発明が解決しようとする課題） しかしながら、上記の様な構成を有する従来のマイクロ
波レーザ装置においては、以下に述べる様な解決すべき
課題があった。(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional microwave laser device having the above configuration, there were problems to be solved as described below.

即ち、高圧で供給されたレーザガス３１を、ノズル３３
を通して断熱膨脹させ、そのガス圧力を低下させるため
、レーザガスの全量を排気するための真空ポンプが必要
となる。また、真空ポンプの排気動力が多大となり、装
置の大型化を招き、全体としてのレーザ発振効率が極端
に低下してしまうという欠点があった。That is, the laser gas 31 supplied at high pressure is passed through the nozzle 33.
A vacuum pump is required to evacuate the entire amount of laser gas in order to adiabatically expand it through the laser gas and lower the gas pressure. Moreover, the exhaust power of the vacuum pump becomes large, leading to an increase in the size of the device, and the overall laser oscillation efficiency is extremely reduced.

また、ノズル３３の下流側のガス圧力、即ち、放電部の
ガス圧ノノが低いので、電力密度を大きくとることがで
きず、装置が大形となり、レーザ出力も大きくはとれな
いといった欠点もあった。Furthermore, since the gas pressure on the downstream side of the nozzle 33, that is, the gas pressure in the discharge section, is low, the power density cannot be increased, the device becomes large, and the laser output cannot be increased. Ta.

本発明は以上の欠点を解消するために提案されたもので
、その目的は、通常のガス圧力（２０〜２００Ｔｏ　ｒ
　ｒ）で一様なグロー放電が得られる、効率的なマイク
ロ波レーザ装置を提供することにある。The present invention was proposed to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, and its purpose is to reduce the pressure of normal gas (20 to 200 Torr).
An object of the present invention is to provide an efficient microwave laser device capable of obtaining uniform glow discharge in r).

［発明の構成］ （課題を解決するための手段） 本発明は、真空容器内にレーザ媒質ガスを低ガス圧で封
入し、このガスを放電部に循環させ、前記放電部の外部
に配設したマイクロ波電源よりマイクロ波を供給して放
電させてレーザ媒質ガスを励起するマイクロ波レーザ装
置において、放電部の断面積を縮小して構成し、また、
放電部を専用の真空容器内に収納したことを特徴とする
ものである。[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention is characterized in that a laser medium gas is sealed in a vacuum container at a low gas pressure, the gas is circulated to a discharge part, and the gas is disposed outside the discharge part. In a microwave laser device that excites a laser medium gas by supplying microwaves from a microwave power source to discharge and excite a laser medium gas, the cross-sectional area of the discharge part is reduced, and
This device is characterized in that the discharge section is housed in a dedicated vacuum container.

（作用） 本発明のマイクロ波レーザ装置によれば、放電部の断面
積を縮小して構成したことにより、放電部内におけるマ
イクロ波電界の強度を高めることができるので、一様な
グロー放電を得ることができる。また、放電部を専用の
真空容器（例えば、円筒タンク等）内に収納することに
より、放電部の真空状態をより安定した状態で保持でき
るので、堅牢でコンパクトな構成とすることができる。(Function) According to the microwave laser device of the present invention, by reducing the cross-sectional area of the discharge section, it is possible to increase the strength of the microwave electric field within the discharge section, thereby obtaining a uniform glow discharge. be able to. Furthermore, by housing the discharge section in a dedicated vacuum container (for example, a cylindrical tank, etc.), the vacuum state of the discharge section can be maintained in a more stable state, resulting in a robust and compact configuration.

（実施例） 以下、本発明の一実施例を第１図及び第２図に基づいて
具体的に説明する。(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be specifically described based on FIGS. 1 and 2.

本実施例においては、第１図に示した様に、マイクロ波
発振器１から送出されたマイクロ波電力２が導波管３内
に放射されるように構成されている。この導波管３内に
は隔壁４が設けられ、導波管３をマイクロ波発振器側３
ａと、マイクロ波放電管側３ｂとに区画している。また
、前記マイクロ波放電管側の導波管３ｂには放電部５が
接続されている。この放電部５は導波管放電部５ａと終
端部５ｂとから構成され、前記導波管放電部５ａの断面
積が導波管３及び終端部５ｂの断面積に比べて小さくな
るように構成されている。また、前記放電部５は金属あ
るいは絶縁物から成る専用真空容器７中に収納されてい
る。さらに、終端部５ｂにはレーザガス循環配管８が接
続され、その途中には熱交換器９及び送風機１０が設け
られ、レーザガスを矢印１１の方向に循環駆動するよう
に構成されている。In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the microwave power 2 sent out from the microwave oscillator 1 is radiated into the waveguide 3. A partition wall 4 is provided inside the waveguide 3, and the waveguide 3 is connected to the microwave oscillator side 3.
It is divided into a microwave discharge tube side 3b and a microwave discharge tube side 3b. Further, a discharge section 5 is connected to the waveguide 3b on the side of the microwave discharge tube. The discharge section 5 is composed of a waveguide discharge section 5a and a terminal end section 5b, and is configured such that the cross-sectional area of the waveguide discharge section 5a is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the waveguide 3 and the terminal end section 5b. has been done. Further, the discharge section 5 is housed in a dedicated vacuum container 7 made of metal or an insulator. Further, a laser gas circulation pipe 8 is connected to the terminal end 5b, and a heat exchanger 9 and a blower 10 are provided in the middle thereof, and the laser gas is configured to be circulated in the direction of the arrow 11.

なお、上記の様に構成された放電部を含む真空容器ｌ２
には、バルブ１３を介して真空ボンプ１４が接続され、
真空容器１２内を真空排気できるように構成されている
。また、同様にバルブ１５を介してレーザガスボンベ１
６が接続され、容器内にレーザガスを数１０Ｔｏｒｒま
で充填できるように構成されている。なお、前記バルブ
１３，１５は圧力制御器１７によってその開閉が制御さ
れている。Incidentally, the vacuum vessel l2 including the discharge section configured as described above
A vacuum pump 14 is connected via a valve 13 to
It is configured such that the inside of the vacuum container 12 can be evacuated. Similarly, the laser gas cylinder 1 is connected via the valve 15.
6 is connected, and the container is configured to be filled with laser gas up to several tens of Torr. The opening and closing of the valves 13 and 15 are controlled by a pressure controller 17.

ここで、前記放電部５及びその周囲に配設される専用真
空容器７の具体例を第２図に示した。即ち、放電部５の
周囲に、金属あるいは絶縁物から成る専用真空容器であ
る円筒タンク２０が配設されている。また、放電部５の
両側には、光軸上に全反射ミラー１８ａ及び半透過ミラ
ー１８ｂが対向して配設されて光共振器が構成され、半
透過ミラー１８ｂの外部にレーザ光１９が放出されるよ
うに構成されている。Here, a specific example of the discharge section 5 and the dedicated vacuum container 7 disposed around it is shown in FIG. That is, a cylindrical tank 20, which is a dedicated vacuum container made of metal or an insulator, is arranged around the discharge section 5. Further, on both sides of the discharge section 5, a total reflection mirror 18a and a semi-transmission mirror 18b are arranged facing each other on the optical axis to form an optical resonator, and a laser beam 19 is emitted to the outside of the semi-transmission mirror 18b. is configured to be

この様な構成を有する本実施例のマイクロ波レーザ装置
においては、以下に述べるようにしてレーザガスが放電
励起される。即ち、マイクロ波発振器１より放射された
マイクロ波電力２は、隔壁４を介して通常数Ｉ　ＱＴｏ
　ｒ　ｒ程度の低圧レーザガスの封入された放電部５に
入射し、ここでグロー放電６を形成し、放電部内部に循
環駆動されているレーザガスを放電励起する。このとき
、導波管放電部５ａの断面積が小さく構成されているの
で、一様なグロー放電が点弧される。この様にして放電
励起されたレーザガスによって、レーザ光１９が増幅さ
れ、出力される。In the microwave laser device of this embodiment having such a configuration, the laser gas is excited by discharge as described below. That is, the microwave power 2 radiated from the microwave oscillator 1 is transmitted through the partition wall 4 by a normal number I QTo
The laser beam enters the discharge section 5 in which a low-pressure laser gas of about r r is sealed, forms a glow discharge 6 there, and excites the laser gas circulating inside the discharge section. At this time, since the cross-sectional area of the waveguide discharge section 5a is configured to be small, a uniform glow discharge is ignited. Laser light 19 is amplified by the laser gas discharge-excited in this manner and output.

この様に、本実施例によれば、マイクロ波のエネルギー
が効果的に導波管放電部に注入され、様なグロー放電が
形成される。また、放電部５を専用の真空容器７内に収
納したので、放電部の真空状態をより安定した状態で保
持することができ、堅牢でコンパクトなマイクロ波レー
ザ装置を傳ることができる。In this way, according to this embodiment, microwave energy is effectively injected into the waveguide discharge section, and a glow discharge of various types is formed. Further, since the discharge section 5 is housed in a dedicated vacuum container 7, the vacuum state of the discharge section can be maintained in a more stable state, and a robust and compact microwave laser device can be constructed.

なお、本発明は上述した実施例に限定されるものではな
く、通常アルミニウム（ＡＩ）あるいは銅（Ｃｕ）から
成る放電部電極に、金（Ａｕ）、クロム（Ｃｒ）または
ニッケル（Ｎｉ）等の耐蝕性の強い金属をコーティング
しても良い。この場合、放電によって生じる表面酸化等
による表面導電率の低下を防止することができるので、
放電部電極の寿命を飛躍的に改善することができる。Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the discharge part electrode, which is usually made of aluminum (AI) or copper (Cu), is coated with gold (Au), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), etc. It may be coated with a highly corrosion-resistant metal. In this case, it is possible to prevent a decrease in surface conductivity due to surface oxidation caused by discharge.
The life of the discharge section electrode can be dramatically improved.

［発明の効果］ 以上述べた様に、本発明によれば、放電部の断面積を縮
小して構成し、また、放電部を専用の真空容器内に収納
するという簡単な手段によって、通常のガス圧力で一様
なグロー放電が得られる、効率的なマイクロ波レーザ装
置を提供することができる。[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the cross-sectional area of the discharge section is reduced, and the discharge section is housed in a dedicated vacuum container, which is a simple method that can be used in a normal manner. It is possible to provide an efficient microwave laser device that can obtain uniform glow discharge using gas pressure.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of drawings]

第１図は本発明のマイクロ波レーザ装置の一実施例を示
す構成図、第２図は本発明のマイクロ波レーザ装置にお
ける放電部及び専用真空容器の具体例を示す斜視図、第
３図は従来例の主要部を示す断面図である。 １・・・マイクロ波発振器、２・・・マイクロ波電力、
３・・・導波管、４・・・隔壁、５・・・放電部、５ａ
・・・導波管放電部、５ｂ・・・終端部、６・・・グロ
ー放電、７・・・専用真空容器、８・・・レーザガス循
環配管、９・・・熱交換器、１０・・・送風機、１１・
・・レーザガス流、１２・・・真空容器、１３・・・バ
ルブ、１４・・・真空ポンプ、１５・・・バルブ、１６
・・・レーザガスボンベ、１７・・・圧力制御器、１８
ａ・・・全反射ミラー　１８ｂ・・・半透過ミラー　１
９・・・レーザ光、２０・・・円筒タンク、３１・・・
レーザガス、３２・・・上部入口、３３・・・ノスル、
３４・・・マイクロ波、３５・・・導波管、３６・・・
圧力隔壁、３９・・・光共振器、４０・・・排出ガス、
４１・・・レーザ放電部。FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the microwave laser device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a specific example of the discharge section and dedicated vacuum vessel in the microwave laser device of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the main parts of a conventional example. 1...Microwave oscillator, 2...Microwave power,
3... Waveguide, 4... Partition wall, 5... Discharge part, 5a
... Waveguide discharge part, 5b... Termination part, 6... Glow discharge, 7... Dedicated vacuum container, 8... Laser gas circulation piping, 9... Heat exchanger, 10...・Blower, 11・
...Laser gas flow, 12...Vacuum container, 13...Valve, 14...Vacuum pump, 15...Valve, 16
...Laser gas cylinder, 17...Pressure controller, 18
a... Total reflection mirror 18b... Half-transmission mirror 1
9... Laser light, 20... Cylindrical tank, 31...
Laser gas, 32... Upper inlet, 33... Nostle,
34...Microwave, 35...Waveguide, 36...
Pressure partition wall, 39... Optical resonator, 40... Exhaust gas,
41... Laser discharge section.

Claims (1)

【特許請求の範囲】 真空容器内にレーザ媒質ガスを低ガス圧で封入し、この
ガスを放電部に循環させ、前記放電部の外部に配設した
マイクロ波電源よりマイクロ波を供給して放電させてレ
ーザ媒質ガスを励起するマイクロ波レーザ装置において
、 前記放電部の断面積を縮小して構成し、また、前記放電
部を専用の真空容器内に収納したことを特徴とするマイ
クロ波レーザ装置。[Claims] A laser medium gas is sealed in a vacuum container at low gas pressure, this gas is circulated to a discharge section, and a microwave is supplied from a microwave power source disposed outside the discharge section to generate a discharge. A microwave laser device that excites a laser medium gas by causing the discharge portion to have a reduced cross-sectional area, and the discharge portion is housed in a dedicated vacuum container. .
JP5510889A 1989-03-09 1989-03-09 Microwave laser device Pending JPH02235382A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP5510889A JPH02235382A (en) 1989-03-09 1989-03-09 Microwave laser device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP5510889A JPH02235382A (en) 1989-03-09 1989-03-09 Microwave laser device

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
JPH02235382A true JPH02235382A (en) 1990-09-18

Family

ID=12989557

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
JP5510889A Pending JPH02235382A (en) 1989-03-09 1989-03-09 Microwave laser device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
JP (1) JPH02235382A (en)

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