JPH06326379A - Gas laser oscillator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To relieve the pressure loss in a laser gas circulating path by tapering the laser gas leading-in part or/and exhausting part. CONSTITUTION:Tapers 14, 15 are provided on the laser gas leading-in part or/and exhaust part to or from a discharge tube 1 so as to relieve the pressure loss in the title gas laser oscillator by the taper actions. Through these procedures, the pressure loss in the laser gas circulating path can be relieved to decrease the capacity of a blower thereby enabling the title miniaturized gas laser oscillator to be provided at lower cost.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gas laser oscillating device in which the axial direction of a discharge tube is aligned with the optical axis direction,
The present invention relates to a gas laser oscillating device configured to reduce pressure loss in a circulation path of laser gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional gas laser oscillator is shown in FIG. In this figure, 1 is a discharge tube made of a dielectric material such as glass, 2 and 3 are metal electrodes provided inside the discharge tube 1, 4 is a high-voltage power supply connected to the electrodes 2 and 3, and 5 is Discharge space in the discharge tube 1 sandwiched between the electrodes 2 and 3 for applying the voltage of the high voltage power source 4,
Is a total reflection mirror, 7 is a partial reflection mirror, and the total reflection mirror 6 and the partial reflection mirror 7 are fixedly arranged at both ends of the discharge space 5 to form an optical resonator. A laser beam 8 is output from the partial reflecting mirror 7. The arrow 9 indicates the direction in which the laser gas flows, and the laser gas circulates in the axial flow type laser device. 10 is an air supply pipe 11, 12 is the discharge space 5
A heat exchanger for cooling the laser gas for lowering the temperature of the laser gas whose temperature has risen at 13 and a blower for circulating the laser gas.

The above is the configuration of the conventional axial flow laser device, and its operation will be described below.

First, a high voltage power source 4 is provided on the pair of metal electrodes 2 and 3.
A high voltage is applied to generate a glow-like discharge in the discharge space 5. The laser gas passing through the discharge space 5 is excited by obtaining this discharge energy, and the excited laser gas is brought into a resonance state by the optical resonator formed by the total reflection mirror 6 and the partial reflection mirror 7, and is excited from the partial reflection mirror 7. The laser beam 8 is output. This laser beam 8 is used for applications such as laser processing.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the state of the flow of laser gas in the discharge tube introduction / discharge section. The discharge tube and the air supply tube were stepped from each other. For this reason, the flow of the fluid is disturbed to form a vortex and a pressure loss occurs.

[0006]

In the above structure, the laser gas flow contracts at the steps of the discharge tube and the discharge portion,
There is a problem that the pressure loss due to the expansion is large, the power of the large capacity blower is required accordingly, and the noise is increased.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to reduce the pressure loss in the circulation path of the laser gas.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a gas laser oscillating device having a structure in which a laser gas introducing portion or a laser gas discharging portion of a discharge tube is provided with a taper.

[0009]

With this configuration, the taper provided at the laser gas introduction portion and / or the laser gas discharge portion of the discharge tube makes it difficult for the flow to be separated from the wall surface of the tube, the flow is not disturbed, and pressure loss due to contraction and expansion of the laser gas flow is reduced The pressure loss in the laser gas circulation path is reduced.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, 1 to 13 are the same as conventional ones, 1 is a discharge tube made of a dielectric material such as glass, and 2, 3
Are metal electrodes provided inside the discharge tube 1,
4 is a high-voltage power supply connected to the electrodes 2 and 3, 5 is a discharge space in the discharge tube 1 sandwiched between the two electrodes 2 and 3 for applying the voltage of the high-voltage power supply 4, 6 is a total reflection mirror, Reference numeral 7 denotes a partial reflection mirror, and the total reflection mirror 6 and the partial reflection mirror 7 are fixedly arranged at both ends of the discharge space 5 to form an optical resonator. Reference numeral 8 indicates a laser beam output from the partial reflecting mirror 7, and arrow 9 indicates the direction in which the laser gas flows, which circulates in the axial flow laser device. Reference numeral 10 is an air supply pipe, 11 and 12 are heat exchangers for cooling the laser gas, and 13 is a blower for circulating the laser gas. Reference numeral 14 is a taper provided at the laser gas introduction portion of the discharge tube 1, and 15 is a taper provided at the laser gas discharge portion of the discharge tube 1. In this figure, the taper 14 and the taper 15 are provided on both the laser gas introduction part and the laser gas discharge part of the discharge tube 1, but the taper may be provided on either side.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic curve diagram of the taper angle (deg.) In the laser gas introducing portion and the pressure loss (Torr) of the gas laser oscillator in this embodiment. Also, when the laser gas discharge part has a taper, the same characteristics as this figure are shown.When both the laser gas introduction part and the laser gas discharge part are provided with a taper, the combination of the taper angles with the smallest pressure loss causes Minimal loss.

As is apparent from FIG. 2, the taper length 50
When a taper of mm or less is provided, the taper angle is 5 to 6 degrees.
It can be seen that the taper angle in which the pressure loss of the gas laser oscillator is the smallest exists within the range of 0 degree.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the discharge tube introducing / exhausting portion with a taper, the pressure loss in the laser gas circulation path is reduced, the capacity of the blower can be reduced, and the size and size are small. An inexpensive gas laser oscillator can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a gas laser oscillator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic curve diagram of taper angle and pressure loss in the example.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional gas laser oscillator.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow state of a discharge tube introduction / discharge portion in a conventional gas laser oscillator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Discharge tube 4 High-voltage power supply 10 Air supply pipe 11 Laser gas cooling heat exchanger 12 Laser gas cooling heat exchanger 13 Laser gas circulation blower 14 Taper 15 Taper

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An air supply pipe through which a laser gas flows, a blower for circulating a laser gas provided in the middle of the air supply pipe, a heat exchanger for cooling a laser gas, a discharge tube made of a dielectric material, and a discharge generated in the discharge tube. A gas laser oscillator device having a high voltage power supply, an inner diameter of an air supply tube formed larger than an inner diameter of a discharge tube, and a laser gas introduction portion and / or a laser gas discharge portion of the discharge tube having a taper. 2. The gas laser oscillator according to claim 1, wherein the taper has a taper length of 50 mm or less and a taper angle of 5 to 60 degrees. 3. The gas laser oscillator according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the air supply tube is formed larger than the inner diameter of the discharge tube by 5 mm or more.