JPH04101478A - Ion laser tube - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify and stabilize a mechanism for regulating opposing relation of mirrors by providing flanges at both ends of bellows between a laser fine tube and the mirror, arranging a piezoelectric actuator between the flanges, and varying its thickness. CONSTITUTION:An ion laser tube has a laser fine tube 2, and telescopically bendable bellows 4 for connecting a pair of mirrors 3, 3' disposed oppositely at both ends of the tube 2 to the tube 2, and flanges 5 are mounted at both ends of the bellows 4. A piezoelectric actuator 9 is mounted between a flange mounted with a mirror and a flange 5 mounted at a plate, and connected to the flange 5 through a support rod 10. The opposing relation of the mirrors 3 are regulated by varying the angle of the flange 5 by altering the thickness of the actuator 9 by changing a voltage to be applied across the actuator 9. Since the applied voltage can be externally controlled, a producing having high reliability in view of stability can be produced.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to an internal mirror type ion laser tube.

[Conventional technology]

As shown in FIG. 3, a conventional internal mirror type ion laser tube includes a laser tube, a pair of mirrors 3 disposed opposite to each other at both ends of the laser tube, a bellows 4 that can be expanded and contracted to connect the mirror 3 and the laser tube 2, and the like. There is a cymbal plate 12 and a flange 5 between the mirror 3 and the bellows 4, and the mirror 3 is attached to the flange 5 fixed to the gimbal plate 12 with screws 6.

A plurality of plates 7 are used as a structure to support the laser thin tube 2.
, and a plurality of rods 8 made of a material with a low coefficient of thermal expansion such as Invar, although there are usually three rods, are installed. The end surface of each rod 8 is connected to a gimbal plate 12 that supports the mirror 3 via a piezoelectric actuator 9, and a ball 11 is attached to one end surface of the piezoelectric actuator 9 for point contact. The mutual facing relationship of the pair of mirrors 3 is adjusted by changing the thickness of the piezoelectric actuator 9 by changing the voltage applied to both ends of the plurality of piezoelectric actuators 9, and can also be controlled from the outside.

Although not shown in the figure, there is also an adjustment screw instead of the piezoelectric actuator 9, or a Stella Pink motor combined with the adjustment screw to enable external control.

[Invention or problem to be solved]

In the conventional technology described above, the mirror 3 is fixed by the cymbal plate 12, and the gimbal plate 12 is connected to the roller 8 via the piezoelectric actuator 9, which is a complicated structure. There is. In this structure, the cymbal plate 12 is ultimately supported by the rods 1 to 8, making it large and heavy. Also, what is supported by the ion laser tube is the mirror 3 and the laser thin tube, so the laser Due to the relatively long distance between the thin tube and the mirror, it has been difficult to create a highly reliable product in terms of stability, and this has hindered the creation of small, low-cost lasers.

[Means to solve the problem]

In the present invention, flanges are provided at both ends of an expandable and bendable bellows that connects a laser tube and a pair of mirrors disposed opposite thereto, a plurality of piezoelectric actuators are installed between the flanges, and a support rod is installed. Connect a piezoelectric actuator to each flange via. Each of the flanges on the side closer to the laser tube is held on the support structure by being screwed onto the plate. The mirror facing relation can be adjusted by changing the voltage applied to both ends of the piezoelectric actuator, changing the thickness of the piezoelectric actuator, and changing the angle of the flange on the mirror side, and can also be controlled from the outside. It has a structure.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings, but what is shown below is only one embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention in any way.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. The ion laser tube includes a laser capillary tube 2, a pair of mirrors 3 disposed opposite to each other at both ends of the laser capillary tube, and a bellows 4 that connects the mirror 2 and the laser capillary tube 2 and is expandable and bendable. A flange 5 is attached to the flange 5. Of the two flanges 5, the one on the laser tube side is
It is attached by screws 6 to a plate 7 that holds and fixes the end of the laser tube, and is connected to a support structure consisting of the plate 7 and a plurality of rods 8 made of a metal with a low coefficient of thermal expansion such as Invar. A mirror 3 is attached to the other flange. A piezoelectric actuator 9 is installed between the flange to which the mirror is attached and the flange 5 attached to the plate, and is connected to the flange 5 via a support rod 10. The opposing relationship of the mirrors 3 is adjusted by changing the angle of the flange 5 by changing the voltage applied to both ends of each piezoelectric actuator 9 and changing the thickness of the piezoelectric actuator 9. The voltage applied to both ends of the piezoelectric actuator 9 can be controlled from the outside.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention. The basic configuration is the same as in Example 1, but the part that adjusts the angle of the mirror is not a bellows, but is made of bendable plastic metal 4a.
A piezoelectric actuator 9 is embedded between the pleated protrusions, and by changing the thickness of the piezoelectric actuator 9, the plastic metal 4a is deformed and the opposing relationship of the mirrors is adjusted. The rest of the configuration is the same as the previous embodiment.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the present invention, flanges are provided at both ends of the bellows between the laser tube and the mirror of an internal mirror type ion laser tube, and a piezoelectric actuator is arranged between the flanges. By changing the thickness, the facing relationship of the mirrors can be adjusted. The present invention simplifies the mechanism for adjusting the facing relationship of mirrors and realizes a more stable mechanism than the conventional technology. This contributes to improved reliability, miniaturization, and cost reduction of laser tubes and laser oscillators.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. Second
The figure is a schematic configuration diagram of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a conventional ion laser tube. In the figure, 2... Laser tube, 3... Mirror, 4
... bellows, 5 ... flange, 7 ... plate, 9
It is a piezoelectric actuator.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an ion laser tube having a laser tube and a pair of mirrors facing the laser tube, the mirror and the laser tube are connected by a bellows or a plastic metal part that can be expanded and bent, at both ends of the bellows or the plastic metal part. An ion laser tube characterized in that a flange portion is provided, and the flanges are connected by a plurality of piezoelectric actuators.