JPS61281567A - Metallic ion laser - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the stability of an output from a laser by each constituting a heating means heating a laser tube, a heating means heating an electrode section and a heating means heating a metallic-ion generating material by non-inductive heaters. CONSTITUTION:When required voltage is applied, negative glow discharge is generated among main anodes 5a-5c and a hollow cathode 4, Cd vapor is generated by the heating of reservoir sections 8a-8c by a heating means 11 and the heat loss of negative glow discharge, and Cd vapor is fed into a discharge section, and transfers to a high energy level by the excited particles of He ions, etc. The Cd vapor flows toward the hollow cathode 4, and a proper quantity of Cd vapor is introduced into the plasma of discharge, thus acquiring continuous oscillations. Non-inductive heaters are used as heating means 10, 11, 23 at that time, and a magnetic field is not generated. Accordingly, stable laser oscillations can be obtained, thus improving performance.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] 1. The present invention eliminates fields and generation that adversely affect discharge, and improves the stability of laser output.
Regarding. −・ [Conventional technology]
9.

Generally, metal vapor is used as a laser medium, f! In this type of metal ion laser, cadmicum (ca
) eSelenium □Be, ), -gold such as tellurium (T, a),
If the ion-generating material is heated, it will be evaporated by electric discharge and the vapor will be obtained. In that case, the heating method is to store the metal ion generating material in a reservoir provided in the laser tube, and heat 4 parts of it with a heater. ! However, in order to maintain a stable discharge state required for laser operation, heat the laser tube and electrode section with a heater, and then set and maintain them at a constant temperature! '4ru- [The intermediate point that the invention attempts to solve] Only! , the laser tube, the W pole part, and the metal ion generating material 9 reservoir are heated by heaters. Affiliation, I,
In the on-laser, the magnetic field generated by the heater wire adversely affected the discharge, and there were times when a stable fcv-f-output could not be obtained. [Means for Solving the Problems] The metal ion laser according to the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. It is a mist made up of each of the following.

[Function] In the present invention, since the heating means is constituted by a non-induction heater, no magnetic field is generated which adversely affects the discharge, thus improving the stability of the laser output.

[Underworld side]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a laser tube showing an embodiment of the metal ion laser according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the same laser, and Fig. 3 is a cross section taken along the line ■-■ in Fig. 1. It is a diagram. In these figures, 1 is a laser tube filled with ■e gas, 2.3 is a Brewster window, 4 is a hollow cathode, 5a,
5b and 5c are main anodes, 6a and 6b are auxiliary anodes, 7U cathode a 8a# 8 b s8 c ii'cd A reservoir housing the metal ion generating material 9 of metal thickness, 10t and main anode 5
a, 5b, 5c and auxiliary anode 6. ．． 6b; heating means 11 for heating reservoirs 8a, 8b, and 8c to evaporate metal ion generating material 9; 12i-L'I;
13 is a getter for removing impurities in the laser tube 1; 14 is a positive column discharge path; 15 is a glow region; 16 is a cathode dark region; 17. .

17b, 17c, 17 (1 is invar, 1B is base, 1
B is an adjustment screw, 20 is a cover, 21 is an exhaust fan, 22
23 is a slit hole, and 23 is a heating means for heating the laser tube 1 itself. Note that the heating means 23 is omitted in FIG. 1, and the heating means 10.11 is omitted in FIG.

The hollow cathode 4 is formed of a thick conductive pipe made of, for example, stainless steel, and its center hole constitutes the cathode bore 30 in which the glow region 15 is generated, and both ends of the hollow cathode 40 are made of ceramic material. A cylindrical insulator 31
．． 32 are fitted respectively, and each main anode 5a*5bs
A through hole is formed in the peripheral surface corresponding to 5c, and a ring-shaped insulator 33 made of ceramics or the like is also formed in the through hole.
&933bm33Q are fitted and fixed, respectively. Such insulators 31, 32, 33a, 33b, 33ci
The cathode material ejected from the surface of the hollow cathode 4 due to sputtering by t%ne ions becomes the main anode 5a, 5kl.
By attaching an adhesion device to s5e or using this cathode material, the hollow cathode 4 and the main anode 5at5b, 5c or the auxiliary anode 6a#
It is said that this is effective in preventing short circuits between 6b and 6b.

The main anodes 5a, 5bs5 (!) are made of tungsten, molybdenum, etc., and are attached via a sealing glass 38 to a cylindrical attachment part 36 provided integrally with the laser tube 1, as shown in FIG. There is.

Further, the insertion end of each main anode 5a+5bJ (H) is formed into a substantially conical shape or a truncated conical shape in order to enhance the discharge effect and prevent burnout due to discharge.

And the spacing between adjacent main anodes S & 55BSSC is relatively small, for example, active anode 30 cm L bore diameter D 0
．． In the case of 4 on, it is set to about 2 pieces.

The reservoir portions 8a, 8b+8c are integrally provided in the laser tube 1 by expanding the laser tube 1 into a substantially semi-elliptical shape,
An axial slit 39 formed in the hollow cathode 4 communicates with the positive column discharge path 14, respectively. Further, each reservoir 8aJb*8c is connected to the main anode 5a*5b+
The pitches are approximately equal to the pitch of 5c, and are shifted by a half pitch.

The auxiliary anodes sa and sb blow back metal vapor into the bore 30 to protect the Brewster windows 2 and 3 from the metal vapor, and are similar to the main anodes 58*5by50.

It is attached to the laser tube 1 via a sealing glass 41,
It is provided adjacent to the sides of the insulators 31 and 32. Similarly, the cathode 7 is also attached to the laser tube 1 via the sealing glass 42, and the cathode 7 and the hollow cathode 4 are electrically connected.

The heating means 10, 11, 23 which characterize the present invention are constituted by a non-induction heater 48. The non-induction heater 4B can be easily manufactured by winding two coils side by side as shown in Figure 5. When current is applied, the directions of current in adjacent wires are opposite to each other, so the inductance (L) cancels out. and therefore does not generate a magnetic field. In this case, the heating means 10 is connected to each electrode (5as5bjcy6a,
It is formed by embedding a non-induction heater 48 spirally wound around part 6b) in ceramics 49. In addition, the heating means 11 is also connected to each reservoir 8 B # 81) a 8
Non-induction heater 4B spirally wrapped around c
It is formed by embedding it in ceramics 50. The heating means 23 is formed by directly winding a non-induction heater 48 spirally around the outer periphery of the laser tube 1.

In a metal ion laser with such a configuration,
When a required voltage is applied between the main anode 5a+5by5cs, the auxiliary anodes 6B and 6b, and the hollow cathode 4.

A negative glow discharge occurs between the main anodes 5ajb, 5e and the hollow cathode 4. Here, as the metal ion generating material 9, Cd
To explain the case of a He Cd laser using a He Cd laser, Cd vapor is generated by the heating of the reservoir part 8 & JbJc by the heating means 11 and the heat of the negative glow discharge, and this is sent into the discharge part and is generated by excited particles such as horse ions. transition to a higher energy level. And C
The Cd vapor flows toward the hollow cathode 4 due to the electrophoretic effect of the positive column discharge, and an appropriate amount of Cd vapor is present in the plasma of the discharge, resulting in continuous oscillation.

In this case, as mentioned above, a non-induction heater is used as the heating means 10, 11.23 to prevent the generation of a magnetic field, so the discharge generated between the main anode 5aJbs5c and the hollow cathode 4 is stable, and therefore a stable laser beam is generated. Light output can be grown.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a main part showing another embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the heating means 11 for heating the reservoir 8 is interposed between an aluminum foil 60 bonded to the surface of the reservoir 8, a heat insulating material 61 covering the aluminum foil 60, and between the aluminum foil 60 and the heat insulating material 610. This is composed of a non-induction heater 4B. In such a configuration, since heat is transmitted to the reservoir 8 via the aluminum foil 60, uniform heating of the reservoir 8 is possible.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the metal ion laser according to the present invention, since the heating means for heating the laser tube and the heating means for heating the electrode part are each constructed of a non-induction heater, no magnetic field is generated, and therefore no magnetic field is affected. Therefore, a stable discharge state can be obtained. Furthermore, if the discharge is stable, stable laser oscillation can be obtained, improving performance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a laser tube showing an embodiment of the metal ion laser according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the same laser, and Fig. 3 is a line m-■ in Fig. 1. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part of the laser tube, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the non-induction heater, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the heating means 0 and 0 embodiments. ...Laser tube, 2,3...Brewster window, 4mm@hollow cathode, 5a t5b'
s5c...Main anode, gas6b...Auxiliary anode.
, 7...Fist gap pole, L8as"be8c...Tamebe,
9...Metal ion generating material, t,, o, 11"'
;2. s...-Heating means, 48.111--Non-induction heater.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A metal ion laser characterized in that a heating means for heating a laser tube, a heating means for heating an electrode part, and a heating means for heating and evaporating a metal ion generating material are each constituted by a non-induction heater.