JPH06152075A - Metal vapor laser device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow stable operation for a long time while having little shielding from laser light by using a substrate of a metal being a metal vapor source and a substance of a material quality having good wettability as a substrate of a metal vapor source while using the substrate of a tungsten material. CONSTITUTION:Metal vapor generated from a metal vapor source 1 is excited by free electrons of a discharge plasma diffused inside a ceramic tube so as to generate laser light inside the ceramic tube 2 when the inside of the ceramic tube is brought to a state of inverted population so that excited metal vapor transits to a low energy level. The output of laser light is amplified while laser light passes through a Brewster window 12 for reflecting at an output mirror 13 and a total reflection mirror 14 so that laser light having sufficient output is taken out from the output mirror 13. Now, when wettability between the metal 1, which is a vapor generation source, and a substrate 24 of a tungsten material is good, a metal 25 melted by heat of discharge plasma becomes plane- shaped so as not to shield generated laser light thus allowing creation of a large quantity of the metal.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a metal vapor laser device, and more particularly to a metal vapor laser device which operates stably for a long time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A metal vapor laser device utilizing excitation of metal atoms is suitable as an excitation light source for a dye laser used in fields such as chemical reaction, optical communication and analysis.

An example of the configuration of a conventional metal vapor laser device is shown in FIG.
Shown in. An anode 3 and a cathode 4 are connected to each other at opposite ends of a ceramic tube 2 having a metal vapor source 1 arranged therein via a joining member to form a discharge tube. The outer peripheral surface of this discharge tube is surrounded by a heat insulating material 5, and the outside of this heat insulating material 5 is covered with an insulating tube 8 having a body 6 and an insulating tube flange 7.

An electrode flange 9 is provided on each of the anode 3 and the cathode 4, and the electrode flange 9 is attached and fixed by an electrode support flange 10. The electrode support flange 10 has a pair of Brewster tubes 11 a, 1
1b is connected to the Brewster tubes 11a, 11
Brewster windows 12 are attached to the respective openings of b. An output mirror 1 is provided outside the Brewster window 12.
3 and the total reflection mirror 14 are arranged to form a resonator.

A gas supply pipe 16 for supplying the discharge buffer gas 15 is connected to the brewer pipe 11a, and a gas waste pipe 17 for discharging the buffer gas and the like in the discharge pipe to the outside is connected to the other brewer pipe 11b. It is connected. Between the electrode support flange 10 and the insulating pipe flange 7 connected to the Brewster pipe 11a, the positive electrode 3
A pulse high voltage power supply circuit 18 for applying a voltage is connected between the negative electrode 4 and the negative electrode 4.

The high voltage pulse power supply circuit 18 includes a DC high voltage power supply, a charging capacitor 19, an intermediate capacitor 20,
It is composed of a resistor 21, a thyratron 22 which is a pulse discharge switching element, and a diode 23.

The pulse high voltage power supply circuit 18 generates a discharge current with a rise time of approximately 10 ^-7 seconds or less by the charge charged in the charging capacitor 19 igniting the thyratron 22. This pulse high voltage has a voltage of several kv-
10 number kv, the repetition frequency is the number kH _z ~ number 10kH _z. The symbol A attached to the thyratron 22 is an anode terminal, C is a cathode terminal, and G is a trigger terminal.

The metal vapor laser device described above oscillates a laser by the following actions. A discharge buffer gas 15 is supplied from a gas supply pipe 16 into a ceramic tube 2 as a discharge tube having a metal vapor source 1 therein.

On the other hand, a high voltage is applied between the anode 3 and the cathode 4 of the ceramic tube 2 by the pulse high voltage power source 18,
Discharge plasma is generated by the buffer gas 15. By heating the ceramic tube 2 to a high temperature by this discharge plasma, metal vapor is generated from the metal vapor source 1. This metal vapor is excited by the free electrons of the discharge plasma diffused in the ceramic tube, and eventually becomes a state of population inversion in the ceramic tube 2, and when the excited metal vapor makes a transition to a low energy level, laser light is emitted. To occur. This laser light passes through the Brewster window 12, and the output of the laser light is amplified while being reflected by the output mirror 13 and the total reflection mirror 14 which form the laser resonator, and eventually a laser light having a sufficient output is output. Mirror 1
Taken out from 3.

[0010]

As described above, in the conventional metal vapor laser device, the metal vapor source in the ceramic tube is heated by the heat of the discharge plasma formed in the ceramic tube which is the discharge tube to cause laser oscillation. Producing a suitable amount of metal vapor.

By the way, in order to operate the metal vapor laser device for a long time, it is necessary to install a large amount of metal which is the metal vapor source of the ceramic tube. However, when a large amount of the metal of the metal vapor source is installed, the wettability (adhesiveness) between the ceramic tube and the metal of the metal vapor source is poor, and therefore, as shown in FIG. Has a large spherical shape, and there is a problem that the generated laser light is blocked.

In order to solve this problem, a method has been considered in which the metal of the metal vapor source is installed in small numbers at multiple points in the ceramic tube which is the discharge tube. Another problem was that the laser output became unstable due to the distribution.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and when the metal vapor laser device is operated for a long time, even if a large amount of metal, which is a metal vapor source, is installed in the discharge tube, the laser light An object of the present invention is to provide a metal vapor laser device which has little shielding and can be stably operated for a long time.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the metal vapor laser device according to the present invention has a discharge tube in which a metal vapor source for producing metal vapor is installed as described in claim 1. In a metal vapor laser device that discharges and heats to generate laser light, as a substrate of the metal vapor source,
The substrate is made of a material that has good wettability with the metal that is the metal vapor source.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the metal vapor laser device according to the present invention, as described in claim 2, discharge-heats a discharge tube in which a metal vapor source for generating metal vapor is installed. In the metal vapor laser device for generating laser light by using a laser beam, a substrate made of a tungsten material is used as the substrate of the metal vapor source.

[0016]

According to the present invention, when the metal vapor laser device is operated for a long time, even if a large amount of metal of the metal vapor source is installed, the laser beam generated is not shielded and stable for a long time. Can operate metal vapor laser light.

That is, by using a substrate made of a material having good wettability with the metal of the metal vapor source as the metal substrate of the metal vapor source in the discharge tube, the metal melted by the heat of the discharge plasma is Since it has good wettability, it becomes flat and the oscillated laser light is not shielded.

[0018]

Embodiments of the metal vapor laser device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same parts as those of the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a metal vapor laser device according to the present invention. The metal vapor source 1 is arranged inside the ceramic tube 2 via a substrate 24 made of a tungsten material having good wettability with the metal vapor source 1. An anode 3 and a cathode 4 are oppositely connected to the ceramic tube 2 to form a discharge tube.

An electrode flange 9 is provided on each of the anode 3 and the cathode 4, and the electrode flange 9 is attached and fixed by an electrode support flange 10. The electrode support flange 10 has a pair of Brewster tubes 11 a, 1
1b is connected to the Brewster tubes 11a, 11
Brewster windows 12 are attached to the respective openings of b. An output mirror 1 is provided outside the Brewster window 12.
3 and the total reflection mirror 14 are arranged to form a resonator.

A gas supply pipe 16 for supplying a discharge buffer gas 15 is connected to the brewer pipe 11a, and a gas waste pipe 17 for discharging the buffer gas 15 in the discharge pipe to the outside of the other brewer pipe 11b. Are connected. A pulse high voltage power supply circuit 18 for applying a voltage between the positive electrode 3 and the negative electrode 4 is connected between the electrode supporting flange 10 and the insulating pipe flange 7 which are connected to the Brewster pipe 11a. The high-voltage pulse power supply circuit 18 includes a DC high-voltage power supply, a charging capacitor 19, an intermediate capacitor 20, a resistor 21, a thyratron 22 which is a pulse discharge switching element, and a diode 23.

Next, the operation will be described.

A discharge buffer gas 15 is supplied from a gas supply pipe 16 into a ceramic tube 2 as a discharge tube having a metal vapor source 1 therein. On the other hand, a high voltage is applied between the anode 3 and the cathode 4 of the ceramic tube 2 by the pulse high voltage power supply 18 to generate discharge plasma by the buffer gas 15. This discharge plasma causes the ceramic tube 2
Is heated to a high temperature, metal vapor is generated from the metal vapor source 1.

The metal vapor is excited by the free electrons of the discharge plasma diffused in the ceramic tube, and eventually the ceramic tube 2 is in a population inversion state. When the excited metal vapor makes a transition to a low energy level. Generates a laser beam. This laser light passes through the Brewster window 12, and the output of the laser light is amplified while being reflected by the output mirror 13 and the total reflection mirror 14 which form the laser resonator, and eventually a laser light having a sufficient output is output. It is taken out from the mirror 13.

Here, if the wettability between the metal 1 of the vapor generating source and the substrate 24 by the tungsten material is good, as shown in FIG. 2, the metal 25 melted by the heat of the discharge plasma becomes flat, and the generated laser is generated. Since it does not block light, a large amount of metal can be installed. For example, when the metal 1 of the vapor generation source is copper, even if a large amount of metal of 100 grams or more is installed, high-efficiency oscillation can be obtained without blocking the laser light.

As another embodiment, when a metal vapor source using a substrate having good wettability is installed inside the discharge tube in the above-described embodiment, it is installed at a distance of at least twice the inner diameter of the discharge tube from the electrode. . By installing in this way, it is possible to prevent the above-mentioned substrate having good wettability itself from reacting before the reaction of the metal which is the metal vapor source.

The other construction, operation, and effect of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the explanation thereof is omitted.

[0028]

As described above, according to the metal vapor laser device of the present invention, even when a large amount of metal as a metal vapor source is installed in order to operate the metal vapor laser device for a long time, It is possible to prevent the laser light from being shielded by the melted metal by using a substrate made of a material having a good wettability with the metal as the metal vapor source, which is the metal vapor laser. The device can be stably operated for a long time. Further, since the molten metal becomes flat, it is possible to prevent the laser output from becoming unstable due to movement of the metal vapor laser device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the configuration of an embodiment of a metal vapor laser device according to the present invention together with a circuit diagram.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state inside the ceramic tube in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a conventional example of a metal vapor laser device together with a circuit diagram.

4 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the ceramic tube in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Metal Vapor Source 2 Ceramic Tube 3 Anode 4 Cathode 5 Heat Insulating Material 6 Body 7 Insulating Tube Flange 8 Insulating Tube 9 Electrode Flange 10 Electrode Support Flange 11a Brewster Tube 11b Brewster Tube 12 Brewster Window 13 Output Mirror 14 Total Reflection Mirror 15 Discharge Tube Buffer Gas 16 Gas supply pipe 17 Gas waste pipe 18 Pulse high voltage circuit 19 Charging capacitor 20 Intermediate capacitor 21 Resistance 22 Thyratron 23 Diode 24 Substrate made of tungsten material 25 Melted metal

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A metal vapor laser device for generating laser light by discharging and heating a discharge tube in which a metal vapor source for generating metal vapor is installed, wherein the metal vapor source serves as a substrate for the metal vapor source. A metal vapor laser device characterized by using a substrate made of a material having a good wettability with a certain metal. 2. A metal vapor laser device for discharging and heating a discharge tube in which a metal vapor source for producing metal vapor is installed to generate laser light, wherein a substrate made of a tungsten material is used as the substrate of the metal vapor source. A metal vapor laser device characterized by being used.