JPH0760909B2 - Gas laser oscillator - Google Patents
Gas laser oscillatorInfo
- Publication number
- JPH0760909B2 JPH0760909B2 JP19264786A JP19264786A JPH0760909B2 JP H0760909 B2 JPH0760909 B2 JP H0760909B2 JP 19264786 A JP19264786 A JP 19264786A JP 19264786 A JP19264786 A JP 19264786A JP H0760909 B2 JPH0760909 B2 JP H0760909B2
- Authority
- JP
- Japan
- Prior art keywords
- discharge
- gas laser
- laser medium
- downstream side
- oscillator
- 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.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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
- H01S3/02—Constructional details
- H01S3/03—Constructional details of gas laser discharge tubes
- H01S3/036—Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired gas pressure within the tube, e.g. by gettering, replenishing; Means for circulating the gas, e.g. for equalising the pressure within the tube
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Lasers (AREA)
Description
【発明の詳細な説明】 〔発明の目的〕 （産業上の利用分野） 本発明はガスレーザ発振装置に係り、特に横励起方式の
装置に関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a gas laser oscillator, and more particularly to a lateral excitation type device.
（従来の技術） 放電部内においてガスレーザ媒質の流れる方向と放電方
向および発振光軸とが互いに交差する横励起形のガスレ
ーザ発振装置では、ガスレーザ媒質の上流側と下流側と
のレーザ利得は異なり、したがって横モードが非対称な
強度分布となることが生じる。このため、レーザ加工に
おいては軸対称な集光スポットの強度分布が得られない
ことから良好な加工が行えない問題があった。(Prior Art) In a laterally-excited gas laser oscillator in which the flow direction of the gas laser medium intersects the discharge direction and the oscillation optical axis in the discharge part, the laser gains on the upstream side and the downstream side of the gas laser medium are different, and It occurs that the transverse modes have an asymmetric intensity distribution. For this reason, in laser processing, there is a problem that good processing cannot be performed because an intensity distribution of an axisymmetric focused spot cannot be obtained.
（発明が解決すべき問題点） 非対称な強度分布の対策としてレーザ共振器を多重光路
をとる折り返し形の構成にすることが行われているがこ
のような構成にしても強度分布が十分に均一にならず、
また、強度分布の調整も困難であった。本発明はこのよ
うな問題を解決するためになされたもので、均一な強度
分布を有したレーザビームを発振することのできるガス
レーザ発振装置を提供することを目的とする。(Problems to be solved by the invention) As a countermeasure against an asymmetric intensity distribution, a laser resonator has been made to have a folded structure having multiple optical paths. Even with such a structure, the intensity distribution is sufficiently uniform. Not
Also, it was difficult to adjust the intensity distribution. The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gas laser oscillator capable of oscillating a laser beam having a uniform intensity distribution.
（問題点を解決するための手段と作用） 放電部内のガスレーザ媒質の流れる方向と放電方向およ
び発振光軸の３軸が互いに交差する横励起形のガスレー
ザ発振装置において、ガスレーザ媒質の流れの上流側か
ら下流側に向かうに従って放電入力密度を増大させてレ
ーザビーム断面強度を均一化する放電手段を備えた構成
とした。具体的な放電手段としては、ガスレーザ媒質の
下流側に向かうに従って厚さが薄くなった誘電体を介し
て高周波放電する放電電極を備えた放電手段、あるいは
ガスレーザ媒質の流れ方向に沿って配置された複数の放
電電極とこれら放電電極の印加電圧を各別に制御する電
源部とを備えた放電手段があげられる。この放電手段に
より、ガスレーザ媒質の上流から下流に至る間での利得
分布を均一化することができる。(Means and Actions for Solving Problems) In a laterally pumped gas laser oscillator in which the gas laser medium flowing in the discharge part and the discharge direction and the oscillation optical axis intersect each other, the upstream side of the gas laser medium flow The discharge means has a structure in which the discharge input density is increased toward the downstream side to uniformize the cross-sectional strength of the laser beam. As a specific discharging means, a discharging means provided with a discharging electrode for high-frequency discharge through a dielectric whose thickness becomes thinner toward the downstream side of the gas laser medium, or arranged along the flow direction of the gas laser medium An example of the discharging means includes a plurality of discharge electrodes and a power supply unit that controls the voltages applied to the discharge electrodes separately. With this discharge means, the gain distribution can be made uniform from upstream to downstream of the gas laser medium.
（実施例） 以下、実施例を示す図面に基いて本発明を説明する。(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings illustrating an example.
第１図はいわゆる３軸直交形のガスレーザ発振装置の概
略を示すもので、放電部（１）にガスレーザ媒質の流路
となる風洞（２）が循環路を構成するようにして取り付
けられている。風洞（２）内には熱交換器（３）と送風
機（４）が設けられ、放電部（１）を経て加熱されたガ
スレーザ媒質を所定温度に冷却して循環するようになっ
ている。また放電部（１）にはそれぞれ誘電体（5a），
（5b）と、組合わされた放電電極（６），（７）が設け
られている。これらは紙面垂直方向に延在しかつ所定の
間隔をおいて対峙し、高周波電源（８）1MHz乃至100MHz
の周波数になる高電圧を受けるようになっている。放電
部（１）の紙面垂直方向側になる両端には第２図に示す
ように折り返し形のレーザ共振器を構成するために４個
ミラー（9a）乃至（9d）が２個ずつ対になり各ミラー間
で反射させるように所定の角度にされて設けられてい
る。上記ミラーのうち、ガスレーザ媒質の流れの下流
側、すなわち折り返しの最終段となるミラー（9d）は凸
面鏡になり放電部（１）の端部に形成されたZnSeなどか
ら形成された出力窓（10）の中央部に取り付けられてい
る。ところで、誘電体（5a），（5b）は送風機（４）に
循環されるガスレーザ媒質の上流側から下流側に向かう
に従って厚みが直線的に薄くなるテーパー状に形成され
ている。FIG. 1 shows an outline of a so-called three-axis orthogonal type gas laser oscillator, in which a wind tunnel (2) serving as a flow path of a gas laser medium is attached to a discharge part (1) so as to form a circulation path. . A heat exchanger (3) and a blower (4) are provided in the wind tunnel (2), and the gas laser medium heated through the discharge part (1) is cooled to a predetermined temperature and circulated. Further, the discharge part (1) has a dielectric (5a),
Discharge electrodes (6) and (7) combined with (5b) are provided. These extend in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface and face each other at a predetermined interval, and a high frequency power supply (8) 1MHz to 100MHz
It is designed to receive high voltages at frequencies. Two mirrors (9a) to (9d) are formed in pairs at both ends of the discharge part (1) on the side perpendicular to the paper surface to form a folded laser resonator as shown in FIG. It is provided at a predetermined angle so as to reflect between the mirrors. Of the above-mentioned mirrors, the downstream side of the flow of the gas laser medium, that is, the mirror (9d) at the final stage of folding is a convex mirror, and an output window (10) formed of ZnSe or the like formed at the end of the discharge part (1) is formed. ) Is attached to the central part. By the way, the dielectrics (5a) and (5b) are formed in a taper shape in which the thickness linearly decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side of the gas laser medium circulated in the blower (4).
以上の構成において、ガスレーザ媒質の循環のもとに放
電電極（６），（７）に高周波電圧が印加されて放電が
開始されレーザ発振が行われる。上記放電によって生じ
たレーザ発振波長の光はレーザ発振によって増幅され出
力窓（10）よりリング状レーザ光（Ｌ）が放出される。
ところで、レーザ光（11）はミラー（9a）乃至（9d）間
をガスレーザ媒質の流れに直交して反復反射されるが、
誘電体（5a），（5b）の厚さが薄くなるにつれて励起電
流がより大きな値となるため、ガスレーザ媒質の上流側
が弱く、下流側が強く励起されることになる。この結
果、リング状レーザ光（Ｌ）のビーム断面強度分布は第
３図（ａ）に示すように従来、上流側が高い強度分布と
なっていたものが同図（ｂ）に示すように均一化され
た。In the above structure, a high frequency voltage is applied to the discharge electrodes (6) and (7) under the circulation of the gas laser medium to start discharge and laser oscillation is performed. The light of the laser oscillation wavelength generated by the discharge is amplified by the laser oscillation, and the ring laser light (L) is emitted from the output window (10).
By the way, the laser light (11) is repeatedly reflected between the mirrors (9a) to (9d) at right angles to the flow of the gas laser medium,
Since the excitation current has a larger value as the thickness of the dielectrics (5a) and (5b) becomes smaller, the upstream side of the gas laser medium is weak and the downstream side is strongly excited. As a result, the beam cross-sectional intensity distribution of the ring-shaped laser light (L), which was conventionally high on the upstream side as shown in FIG. 3 (a), is uniformized as shown in FIG. 3 (b). Was done.
なお、実施例では誘電体（5a），（5b）の厚さをテーパ
ー状に漸減した形状にしたが、第４図に示すように段階
状に厚みを変化させるようにしても実施可能である。ま
た、誘電体の厚みを変化させる以外に誘電体およびそれ
に組合う放電電極を分割し、分割された各電極の印加電
圧に差異をつけるようにしても同様に実施できる。第５
図はその態様の一例で、それぞれ３対に分割されて組合
わされた誘電体（12a），（12b），（12c）および（13
a），（13b），（13c）と放電電極（14a），（14b），
（14c）および（15a），（15b），（15c）で各放電電極
をそれぞれ電圧調整可能な電源（16a），（16b），（16
c）に接続していて、ガスレーザ媒質の上流側から下流
側に向かうに従って印加電圧が増大されるように調整さ
れている。In the embodiment, the thickness of the dielectrics (5a) and (5b) is tapered, but the thickness can be changed stepwise as shown in FIG. . In addition, the same operation can be performed by changing the thickness of the dielectric and dividing the dielectric and the discharge electrode combined with the dielectric and making the applied voltages of the divided electrodes different. Fifth
The figure is an example of the embodiment, and the dielectrics (12a), (12b), (12c) and (13) which are respectively divided into three pairs and combined.
a), (13b), (13c) and discharge electrodes (14a), (14b),
(14c) and (15a), (15b), (15c) the power supply (16a), (16b), (16
It is connected to c) and is adjusted so that the applied voltage increases from the upstream side to the downstream side of the gas laser medium.
ビーム断面の強度分布を均一化できるようになったの
で、様々なレーザ加工を安定にしかも能率よく行えるよ
うにすることが可能となった。Since the intensity distribution of the beam cross section can be made uniform, it has become possible to perform various laser processes stably and efficiently.
第１図および第２図は本発明の一実施例を示す断面図、
第３図はレーザ光のビーム断面の強度分布図、第４図お
よび第５図はそれぞれ本発明の他の実施例を示す要部断
面図である。 （１）……放電部、（5a），（5b）……誘電体、 （６），（７）……放電電極、（８）……高周波電源。1 and 2 are sectional views showing an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 3 is an intensity distribution diagram of a beam cross section of laser light, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are principal part cross-sectional views showing another embodiment of the present invention. (1) ... Discharge part, (5a), (5b) ... Dielectric, (6), (7) ... Discharge electrode, (8) ... High frequency power source.
Claims (3)
放電方向および発振光軸とが互いに交差する横励起形の
ガスレーザ発振装置において、ガスレーザ媒質の流れの
上流側から下流側に向かうに従って放電入力密度を増大
させてレーザビーム断面強度を均一化する放電手段を備
えたことを特徴とするガスレーザ発振装置。1. In a laterally pumped gas laser oscillator in which the flow direction of the gas laser medium in the discharge part intersects the discharge direction and the oscillation optical axis, the discharge input density increases from the upstream side to the downstream side of the flow of the gas laser medium. And a discharge means for increasing the cross-sectional intensity of the laser beam to make the cross-sectional intensity uniform.
うに従って厚さが薄くなった誘電体を介して高周波放電
する放電電極を備えたことを特徴とする特許請求の範囲
第１項記載のガスレーザ発振装置。2. The gas laser according to claim 1, wherein the discharge means is provided with a discharge electrode for high-frequency discharge through a dielectric whose thickness becomes thinner toward the downstream side of the gas laser medium. Oscillator.
って配置された複数の放電電極とこれら放電電極の印加
電圧を各別に制御する電源部とを備えたことを特徴とす
る特許請求の範囲第１項記載のガスレーザ発振装置。3. The discharge means comprises a plurality of discharge electrodes arranged along the flow direction of the gas laser medium, and a power supply section for individually controlling the voltage applied to these discharge electrodes. The gas laser oscillator according to the first aspect.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP19264786A JPH0760909B2 (en) | 1986-08-20 | 1986-08-20 | Gas laser oscillator |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP19264786A JPH0760909B2 (en) | 1986-08-20 | 1986-08-20 | Gas laser oscillator |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| JPS6350082A JPS6350082A (en) | 1988-03-02 |
| JPH0760909B2 true JPH0760909B2 (en) | 1995-06-28 |
Family
ID=16294725
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP19264786A Expired - Lifetime JPH0760909B2 (en) | 1986-08-20 | 1986-08-20 | Gas laser oscillator |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPH0760909B2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA2266919A1 (en) * | 1999-03-23 | 2000-09-23 | Vladimir Atejev | Procedure and device for causing a high-frequency electrical discharge in a gas laser |
| JP2012182397A (en) * | 2011-03-03 | 2012-09-20 | Mitsubishi Electric Corp | Laser device and laser processing apparatus |
| JP6048968B2 (en) * | 2013-08-30 | 2016-12-21 | 三菱電機株式会社 | Laser equipment |
-
1986
- 1986-08-20 JP JP19264786A patent/JPH0760909B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPS6350082A (en) | 1988-03-02 |
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