JPH10294509A - Gas laser oscillator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make feasible the collective handling of a plurality of microwave emitters and cooling fans by making alignment of a laser discharge tube with a plurality of waveguides, by a method wherein the waveguides corresponding to the microwave emitters are fixed to a supporting part fitted with a plurality of microwave emitters. SOLUTION: A plurality of microwave emitters are fitted to a supporting part 2 while the cooling fans 23 are fitted to the microwave emitters 22. On the other hand, waveguides 24 transferring the microwaves are fitted to the supporting part 2. A laser discharge tube 20 made of a dielectric such as glass, etc., is penetrated through the waveguides 24. Through these procedures, the waveguides 24 are aligned with the laser discharge tube 20 to improve the fitting precision, simultaneously making feasible of the collective handling of the cooling fans 23 and the plurality microwave emitters 22, thereby enabling the assembling work efficiency thereof to be improved.

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 apparatus for performing microwave discharge excitation in which the axial direction of a laser discharge tube coincides with the optical axis direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of a gas laser device using a microwave, a reference (APPLIED PHYSICS LE) is available.
TTER, 37 (8), P673 (1980)), and since many merits can be expected, proposals for practical use have been made.
A microwave-excited gas laser oscillation device has not been put to practical use for general industry.

Therefore, referring to the above-mentioned paper, FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a microwave-excited carbon dioxide laser oscillation device studied by the inventors, and FIG. 8 shows details of a microwave generator.

[0004] That is, reference numeral 20 denotes a laser discharge tube formed of a dielectric material such as glass, and 21 denotes a microwave generator for outputting a microwave to the laser discharge tube 20. The laser discharge tube 20 comprises a cooling fan 23 for cooling the generator 22, a plurality of waveguides 24 for transmitting the output of the microwave generator 22, and a fixing portion 25 for fixing the plurality of waveguides 24.
Is provided through the plurality of waveguides 24. The space penetrating the waveguide 24 in the laser discharge tube 20 is a discharge space 26.

[0005] A total reflection mirror 27 is provided on the end face of the laser discharge tube.
At the other end, a partial reflecting mirror 28 is arranged to form an optical resonator. A laser beam 29 is emitted from the partial reflecting mirror 28. Further, an air supply pipe 30 is connected to both ends of the laser discharge tube 20, and an intake pipe 31 is also connected to a central portion of the laser discharge tube 20. Heat exchangers 32a and 32b are connected to a blower 33 for circulating the laser gas. The arrow 34 indicates the direction in which the laser gas flows, and the laser gas circulates in the gas laser oscillation device shown in the figure.

[0006] The operation of the gas laser oscillating device configured as described above will be described. First, microwave power is injected from the microwave generator 22 to both discharge spaces 26 in the laser discharge tube 20 through the waveguide 24 to generate glow discharge in the discharge space 26. The laser gas passing through the discharge space 26 is excited by obtaining this discharge energy, and the excited laser gas is
And the optical resonator formed by the partial reflecting mirror 28 resonates, and transmits through the partial reflecting mirror 28 to transmit the laser beam 29.
Was emitted.

[0007]

In the above-described structure, a laser discharge tube made of a dielectric material such as glass is passed through a plurality of waveguides 24, so that a plurality of waveguides 24 are attached so that no external force is applied to the laser discharge tubes. Have required mutual positional accuracy. After confirming the positions of the plurality of waveguides 24, they were fixed by the fixing part 25, and then the microwave generators 22 were attached to the respective waveguides 24. Since the number of the microwave generators 22 may be large and cooling is required, it is required to improve the work of mounting the waveguide 24 and to collectively handle the cooling fans of the microwave generators 22.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the position of a laser discharge tube and a plurality of waveguides 24 is determined so that a plurality of microwave generators 22 and cooling fans 23 can be handled collectively. It is an object to provide a gas laser oscillation device.

[0009]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a laser discharge tube which is arranged coaxially with an optical axis and through which a laser gas flows, and a plurality of waveguides from outside the laser discharge tube. A gas laser comprising: a microwave generating unit that applies microwaves using a laser to generate a discharge in the laser discharge tube; and an optical resonator that resonates a laser gas excited in the laser discharge tube to generate a laser beam. In the oscillation device, the first means of the microwave generation unit is a device in which a waveguide corresponding to the microwave generator is fixed to a support unit to which a plurality of microwave generators are attached.

A second means of the microwave generating unit uses a waveguide having a flexible structure such as a metal mesh for a part of the microwave generating unit.

Further, a third means of the microwave generating unit includes:
The microwave generator includes a plurality of microwave generators and a supporting portion and a ventilation path having a cooling fan for cooling the microwave generator, and a waveguide corresponding to the microwave generator in the supporting portion and the ventilation path. Is fixed.

Further, a fourth means of the microwave generation unit is such that a plurality of waveguides are joined to the microwave generation unit by a connection pipe through which a laser discharge tube passes.

Further, the fifth means of the microwave generating unit includes:
A plurality of waveguides are joined by a connection pipe coaxial with the laser discharge tube, and an air passage having a cooling fan for cooling the microwave generator is provided.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The first means of the microwave generator applied to the gas laser oscillation device of the present invention is such that a plurality of microwave generators are preliminarily mounted on a support at one time, and the microwaves are guided to the support. With a wave tube attached, the position of the waveguide and the laser tube can be easily determined, and multiple microwave generators and cooling fans that cool the microwave generators can be handled collectively, making assembly work easier. This has the effect of improving the performance.

[0015] The second means of the microwave generating unit includes:
Since a flexible waveguide such as a metal mesh is used, an external force is not applied to the laser discharge tube even if the waveguide is fixed to the fixing portion.

Further, a third means of the microwave generating section is that the position of the laser discharge tube and the waveguide is fixed by fixing the waveguide to the supporting section and the ventilation path, and the supporting section is connected to the ventilation path. Therefore, a plurality of microwave generators can be handled collectively, and the number of cooling fans for cooling the plurality of microwave generators can be reduced to one, which has an effect of improving the assembling workability.

Further, the fourth means of the microwave generating unit includes:
By fixing the waveguide penetrating the laser discharge tube with the connection pipe, the laser tube has an effect that no external force is applied to the laser tube.

Further, the fifth means of the present invention is to fix a plurality of microwave generators by fixing a waveguide penetrating the laser discharge tube with a connecting pipe and surrounding the plurality of microwave generators with air passages. The number of cooling fans to be cooled can be reduced to one, which has an effect of improving the assembling workability.

The embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same portions as in the related art, and description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a microwave generator of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a first means of the microwave generator 1. Reference numeral 2 denotes a support, on which a plurality of microwave generators 22 are attached. 23 is a cooling fan of the microwave generator 22; 24 is a waveguide corresponding to the microwave generator 22 for transmitting microwave output;
Mounted on As described above, since the plurality of microwave generators 22 are attached to the support portion 2, they can be handled integrally.
Further, by fixing the waveguide 24 to the support portion 2, the waveguide 24
Thus, the mounting accuracy of the laser discharge tube 20 is improved.

Next, the second means of the microwave generator 1 will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 3 denotes a waveguide, which connects a part of the waveguide 3 between the laser discharge tube 20 and the fixed portion 25 with a metal mesh 4. The microwave does not leak even if the hole diameter is equal to or less than the cut-off frequency even if the hole is opened like a metal mesh or the like. No external force is applied to the laser discharge tube 20 due to the flexibility of the metal mesh 4 even when attached.

The third means of the microwave generator 1 will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 5 denotes a ventilation path, and a plurality of microwave generators 22 are mounted inside the ventilation path 5. Reference numeral 6 denotes a cooling fan for the microwave generator 22 provided on the end face of the ventilation path 5. As described above, the third means can integrally handle the plurality of microwave generators 22 and can perform cooling of the plurality of microwave generators 22 by the cooling fan 6 having the end face of the air passage 5 so that handling is easy. And the diffusion of waste heat to the surroundings can be prevented.

Further, fourth means of the microwave generator 1 will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 7 denotes a connection pipe. The connection pipe 7 is provided outside the laser discharge tube 20 and connects two waveguides 24. Thus, the fourth means,
Since the waveguide 24 can be fixed around the laser discharge tube 20, external force to the laser discharge tube 20 can be prevented. If the connection pipe 7 is formed integrally with one of the waveguides 24 and inserted into the other waveguide 24, assembly becomes easier.

Next, the fifth means of the microwave generator 1 will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 8 denotes a connecting pipe, which is located outside the laser discharge tube 20 and connects two waveguides 24. Reference numeral 9 denotes a ventilation path provided so as to surround the plurality of microwave generators 22. Reference numeral 10 denotes a cooling fan for the microwave generator 22 provided on the end face of the ventilation passage 9. As described above, since the fifth means can fix the waveguide 24 around the laser discharge tube 20 by the connection pipe 8, external force to the laser tube can be prevented and the plurality of microwave generators 22 are surrounded by the air passage 9. Thus, the cooling can be performed by one cooling fan 10, the workability in assembling can be improved, and the diffusion of waste heat to the surroundings can be prevented.

[0025]

As described above, in the gas laser oscillator according to the present invention, the microwave generator is fixed to the common support base by using a plurality of microwave generators and waveguides as the first means or the second means. Or a plurality of microwave generators and a cooling fan for cooling the microwave generation are attached to the support / ventilation passage as in the third means, or a laser discharge tube passes as in the fourth means. The laser discharge tube and the waveguide are collectively connected by connecting a plurality of waveguides by a connection pipe or by using a common ventilation path for cooling the microwave generator in addition to the connection pipe as in the fifth means. It has an excellent effect that it can be fixed and its mounting accuracy can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing first means of a microwave generation unit of the gas laser oscillation device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a second means of the microwave generation unit.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a third means of the microwave generator.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing fourth means of the microwave generation unit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a fifth means of the microwave generation unit.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional gas laser oscillation device.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional microwave generator.

[Brief description of reference numerals]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Microwave generation part 2 Support part 3 Waveguide with a metal mesh 4 Metal mesh 5 Support part and ventilation path 6 Cooling fan 7,8 Connection pipe 9 Ventilation path 10 Cooling fan

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A laser discharge tube which is disposed coaxially with an optical axis and in which a laser gas flows inside, and a microwave is applied using a plurality of waveguides from the outside of the laser discharge tube to discharge the inside of the laser discharge tube. A microwave generating unit for generating the laser beam, and an optical resonator for generating a laser beam by resonating a laser gas excited in the laser discharge tube, wherein the microwave generating unit is a supporting unit on which a plurality of microwave generators are mounted. A gas laser oscillation device having a waveguide corresponding to the microwave generator fixed thereto. 2. A laser discharge tube arranged coaxially with an optical axis and through which a laser gas flows, and a plurality of waveguides applied from outside of the laser discharge tube to apply microwaves to discharge the laser into the laser discharge tube. A microwave generator for generating a laser beam, and an optical resonator for generating a laser beam by resonating a laser gas excited in the laser discharge tube, wherein the microwave generator has a flexible part such as a metal mesh. Gas laser oscillation device using a wave tube. 3. A laser discharge tube arranged coaxially with the optical axis and through which a laser gas flows, and a plurality of waveguides applied from outside of the laser discharge tube to apply microwaves to discharge the laser into the laser discharge tube. A microwave generator that causes the laser gas excited in the laser discharge tube to resonate to generate a laser beam, the microwave generator includes a plurality of microwave generators therein, A gas laser oscillation device comprising: a supporting portion and a ventilation path having a cooling fan for cooling a microwave generator; and a waveguide corresponding to the microwave generator fixed to the supporting portion and the ventilation path. 4. A laser discharge tube arranged coaxially with the optical axis and through which a laser gas flows, and a plurality of waveguides applied from outside of the laser discharge tube to apply microwaves to discharge the laser into the laser discharge tube. And a light resonator that resonates the laser gas excited in the laser discharge tube to generate a laser beam, wherein the microwave generation unit is a connection pipe through which the laser discharge tube passes. A gas laser oscillation device in which a plurality of waveguides are joined. 5. A laser discharge tube arranged coaxially with an optical axis and through which a laser gas flows, and microwaves applied by using a plurality of waveguides from outside the laser discharge tube to discharge the laser into the laser discharge tube. And a light resonator that resonates a laser gas excited in the laser discharge tube to generate a laser beam, wherein the microwave generation unit includes a plurality of connection pipes coaxial with the laser discharge tube. A gas laser oscillation device having a ventilation passage having a cooling fan for cooling the microwave generator, wherein the waveguides are joined together.