JPH08316553A - Laser resonator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To lessen a laser resonator in size by a method wherein a resonance mirror is so set as to be moved in a vertical direction with a small force. CONSTITUTION: When a resonator mirror 4 is moved up in a vertical direction (direction of Z), the total sum of the own weight of the mirror 4 and a frictional force is applied to the mirror 4 as a working force, and a force of nearly the same size with the weight of the resonance mirror 4 is developed in a vertical direction by a leaf spring, whereby a driving body 10 is smoothly and lightly operated to develop a force just enough to counterbalance a friction force so as to move up the resonator mirror 4 in a vertical direction, so that the related members including the driving body 10 can be made compact in constitution and lessened in size.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser resonator that emits laser light by amplifying light generated by stimulated emission of a laser medium by using a resonator mirror facing the laser resonator. Axis adjustment structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The principle of laser oscillation is as follows. First, when a population inversion is formed between two levels in a laser medium by excitation, spontaneous emission light is generated. Only a small amount of the spontaneous emission light, which is parallel to the optical axis of the resonator, is reflected by the resonator mirror and reciprocates many times. In this case, the opposing resonator mirrors adjust the mirror position and mirror angle so that the light travels back and forth. The light is repeatedly stimulated and emitted while being reciprocated in the inversely distributed laser medium many times, and is amplified to a large intensity. In this case, if one of the two resonator mirrors facing each other is partially transmissive, a part of the amplified light can be extracted to the outside. The laser light extracted in this manner is coherent light with well-matched wavelength, phase, direction, and polarization.

Laser resonators are adjusted by manual or automated means to properly align the optical axes of the resonator mirrors. In this adjustment, the position where the output of the laser light is maximized while oscillating the laser medium is the optimum adjustment position.

However, since the adjustment is performed while oscillating the laser medium, there is a risk of blindness or burns due to irregular reflection. Further, since radioactivity is generated due to oscillation of the free electron laser or the like, an operator cannot directly adjust the location, and thus the optical axis is adjusted by remote operation of the resonator mirror. Therefore, the resonator mirror is configured to be movable in the directions of three axes that are orthogonal to each other, and can be rotated about two axes that are orthogonal to the optical axis.

The structure of a conventional laser resonator will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a conventional laser resonator, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing one resonator mirror portion of FIG. 5, where 1 is a laser medium and 2 is a laser. Exciters that excite the medium 1, and reference numerals 4 and 5 denote a pair of resonator mirrors that are installed to face each other so that the optical axis 1a of the light emitted from the laser medium 1 and the mirror optical axis coincide with each other. The mirror 5 has a partially transmitting structure of light.

The resonator mirrors 4 and 5 are supported by support frames 6 and 7, and the support frames 6 and 7 are provided with X, Y and
A first drive body 8 and a second drive body 9 that are moved in the three Z directions.
And a third driving body 10, and further includes a first guiding body 11, a second guiding body 12 and a third guiding body 12 for guiding the parallel movement of the support frames 6 and 7 in the X, Y and Z directions. A guide body 13 is provided. Each of the driving bodies 8, 9 and 10 is a hollow cylindrical body and is fixed to a moving body 14, 15 or 16 which slides on each of the guiding bodies 11, 12 and 13 formed of a guide rail, and is guided in the central hole. axis
17, 18, 19 are movably fitted. Further, each of the support frames 6 and 7 has a position 2 which is orthogonal to the optical axis 1a of the light.
A first rotating body 23 and a second rotating body 24 for rotating the resonator mirrors 4 and 5 about the axes (X and Z axes) are provided.

In the conventional laser resonator, the optical axes are adjusted by moving the resonator mirrors 4 and 5 in parallel by the respective driving bodies 8, 9 and 10 in the directions in which the adjustment is required, and further rotating the rotating body 23. , 24 adjusts the angle. After these adjustments, the driving bodies 8, 9 and 10 and the rotating bodies 23 and 24 are fixed by screws or the like so as not to move.

In the laser resonator completed by adjusting the optical axis, when the laser medium 1 is excited by the exciter 2, the light generated in the laser medium 1 is opposed to the resonator mirrors 4, 4.
The laser beam is reciprocated between 5 to be amplified, and emitted from the side of the resonator mirror 5 having a partially transmissive structure as laser light to the outside.

[0010]

However, in the conventional laser resonator described above, the vertical direction of the resonator mirrors 4 and 5 is increased.
In the downward movement (Z direction), the weight of the resonator mirrors 4 and 5 and the frictional force in the guide portion are applied in the vertical downward direction,
Requires a large amount of movement. Therefore, a large output is required to operate the driving body 10, and accordingly, the related members including the driving body 10 are increased in size, which is one of the causes for increasing the size of the entire resonator.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to move a resonator mirror in the vertical direction with a small force,
An object is to provide a laser resonator that can be downsized.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention reciprocates light generated from a laser medium a plurality of times between a pair of opposed cavity mirrors, one of which is a partially transmissive structure, In a laser resonator that emits amplified light, each of the resonator mirrors is provided with three driving means for moving the resonator mirrors in three axial directions orthogonal to each other.
Three guide means installed parallel to the directions of the three orthogonal axes to guide the movement of the resonator mirror, and the resonator mirror are rotated about two axes orthogonal to the optical axis of the light as rotation centers. It is characterized in that it is provided with two rotating means and an elastic body that generates a force to pull the resonator mirror upward in the vertical direction of the three orthogonal axis directions.

[0013]

In the laser resonator according to the present invention having the above structure, when the resonator mirror is moved in the vertical direction, in addition to the own weight of the resonator mirror, a frictional force acts in the direction opposite to the moving direction,
In particular, when the resonator mirror is moved vertically upward, an acting force that is the sum of its own weight and frictional force is applied, but only the frictional force is generated by the elastic body generating approximately the same force as its own weight vertically. It is only necessary to generate a force that overcomes the problem, the operation is light, the operation can be performed smoothly, and it is possible to operate the driving means with a low output. Therefore, the structure of the related members including the driving means itself can be simplified and downsized. Can be achieved.

[0014]

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing one resonator mirror of FIG. 1 and a conventional example of FIGS. The members corresponding to the members described in 1 are assigned the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The present embodiment is different from the conventional example above the third driving body 10 for moving the support frames 6, 7 of the resonator mirrors 4, 5 in the Z-axis direction, and A constant load spring portion 30 is provided on the upper portion of the third guide body 13 for guiding the parallel movement of the support frames 6 and 7 in the Z-axis direction.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a schematic structure of the constant load spring portion, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an essential part of the constant load spring portion. A leaf spring 31 as an elastic body fixed to 7 and a holding frame body 33 having a spindle 32 around which the upper end 31b of the leaf spring 31 is wound and fixed, and fixed to the upper end of the third guide body 13. In this embodiment, the leaf spring 31 always pulls up in the vertical direction (Z direction) by an elastic force corresponding to a total weight of the resonator mirrors 4 and 5 and the support frames 6 and 7 with a substantially constant load. Support frame 6,7
In addition to.

Therefore, the third driving body 10 is provided with the third guiding body 13
By applying a force that overcomes the frictional force generated in 1 above, it is possible to vertically move the support frames 6 and 7 together with the resonator mirrors 4 and 5 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the third driver
Compared with the conventional example, the low output is enough to operate 10,
Since the third driving body 10 itself and related members can be structurally simple and a small size can be used, the structure of the laser resonator as a whole can be simplified and the size can be reduced.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the elastic body generates the same force as the own weight of the resonator mirror in the vertically upward direction, so that only the frictional force is generated when the resonator mirror moves in the vertical direction. You just need to generate the power to overcome,
Since the operation is light and smooth, and the driving means can be operated at a low output, the structure of the driving means itself and related members can be simplified and downsized accordingly, and the resonator as a whole can be downsized. A laser resonator can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing one resonator mirror in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a constant load spring portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part of a constant load spring part.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional laser resonator.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing one resonator mirror in the laser resonator of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Laser medium, 2 ... Exciter, 4, 5 ... Resonator mirror, 6, 7 ... Support frame, 8, 9, 10 ... Driving body, 11, 1
2, 13 ... Guiding body, 14, 15, 16 ... Moving body, 17, 18, 19
… Guide shaft, 23, 24… Rotating body, 30… Constant load spring part,
31 ... Leaf spring, 33 ... Holding frame.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A laser resonator that emits amplified light by causing light generated from a laser medium to reciprocate between a pair of opposed resonator mirrors, one of which is a partially transmissive structure, to emit amplified light. Three driving means for moving the resonator mirrors in the three axial directions orthogonal to each other, respectively,
Three guide means installed parallel to the directions of the three orthogonal axes to guide the movement of the resonator mirror, and the resonator mirror are rotated about two axes orthogonal to the optical axis of the light as rotation centers. A laser resonator comprising: two rotating means; and an elastic body that generates a force that pulls the resonator mirror upward in the vertical direction of the three orthogonal axis directions.