JPS62256487A - Ion laser tube - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a fine discharge tube to be hardly bent, to make stability of the optical axis of the tube to be high, and to obtain the laser tube having high stability of output, and moreover having superior mechanical strength and having high reliability by a method wherein the fine discharge tube is supported by a cylindrical metal member. CONSTITUTION:One edge of a fine discharge tube is constructed of a ceramic member 6, a cylindrical metal member 7 is fitted up to the ceramic member 6, and the external periphery of the cylindrical metal member 7 is made to come in contact to be engaged with the inside of an inclusion tray 8 constructing a part of the package of an ion laser tube. Namely a columnar or circular projection part is provided to the ceramic member 6, and the projection part thereof is inserted to be fixed inside of the cylindrical metal member 7. While, the other edge part of the cylindrical metal member 7 is made to come in contact with the inside of the inclusion tray 8, and enabled to slide on the inside of the inclusion tray 8. Because one edge of the fine discharge tube is supported by an anode introducing bar 12, and the other edge of the said fine tube is supported by the cylindrical metal member 7, dislocation of the central axis of the fine discharge tube is not generated to enhance stability of the optical axis, and moreover extension in the axial direction of the discharge fine tube according to a high temperature at laser oscillation time can be escaped according to sliding freely in the axial direction of the cylindrical metal member 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to an ion laser tube, and more particularly to a support structure for a discharge capillary made of a graphite disk.

Conventional technology Ion laser tubes are made of a pair of optical resonators placed at both ends of the laser tube by filling argon gas or krypton gas in the laser tube and applying a voltage between the anode and cathode to generate a discharge. The angle of the reflecting mirror is adjusted appropriately to obtain laser oscillation. Since such ion laser devices have several types of oscillation wavelengths and a large output value, they are used in fields such as Raman spectroscopy and laser coagulators.

Since the laser tube of an ion laser device is used with a discharge pressure of several hundred cubic meters and a discharge current ranging from several amps to several 18, the plasma thin tube material for the laser tube must have heat resistance and ion impact resistance. With this in mind, graphite or beryllia porcelain is commonly used. However, when considering low cost and U■ characteristics, graphite disks are advantageous.

When a discharge tube is constructed by stacking graphite disks, a transparent quartz tube with excellent heat resistance is used as the envelope to dissipate heat during discharge, and the outer periphery is forcedly cooled with water. When discharged, the plasma caused by the arc discharge does not pass through the center hole of the plasma tube, and a large current of several dozen is passed during operation to prevent a discharge path from forming between the outer diameter of the graphite disk and the inner diameter of the quartz tube. .

A conventional ion laser tube mainly consists of a quartz tube that constitutes a vacuum envelope, a graphite disk that is installed inside the quartz tube and constitutes a discharge capillary, and an anode and a cathode that face each other with the graphite disk in between. It was configured.

As a method of supporting the discharge capillary, in consideration of the fact that the discharge capillary is elongated in the axial direction due to heat generation during Rade oscillation, one generally used is to make one side of the discharge capillary a free end.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in this cantilever support method, since one end is a free end, the discharge capillary bends due to its own weight. As a result, the central axis of the discharge capillary becomes eccentric, resulting in problems such as optical axis instability, decreased output, and unstable output. For this purpose, a method is used in which the discharge tube is supported at two points.

In the case of two-point support, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the guffite disk forming the discharge capillary is partially larger than that of the quartz tube forming the vacuum envelope. Therefore, when the laser oscillates and becomes hot, the elongation of the envelope and the discharge tube are different, so
There was a problem in that the discharge capillary pressed against the envelope, causing damage to the envelope.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable ion laser tube that has optical axis stability, high output stability, and eliminates the problems in the prior art described above.

Means for Solving the Problems In view of the current state of ion laser tubes as described above, the present inventor has conducted various studies to achieve the above object of the present invention, and as a result, has found a means capable of achieving the above object, and has devised the present invention. Completed the invention.

That is, the ion laser tube of the present invention includes a discharge capillary in which a disk having a through hole in the center and a spacer are arranged alternately in a vacuum envelope, and a discharge capillary in the vacuum envelope. An ion laser tube comprising an anode and a cathode facing each other with a cylindrical ceramic member provided at the cathode side end of the combination of a disk and a spacer constituting the discharge capillary. The present invention is characterized in that a cylindrical metal member is bonded to the ceramic member, and the cylindrical metal member is internally fitted into an enclosure plate that constitutes a part of the vacuum envelope.

Further, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, an anode disposed at the other end of the disk and spacer combination is connected to and supported by an anode rod that extends through the wall of the vacuum envelope.

Function In the present invention, by holding and fixing the discharge capillary with a cylindrical metal member, the discharge capillary becomes difficult to bend due to its own weight, and its mechanical strength is also increased.

Furthermore, elongation of the discharge capillary due to heat generation during laser oscillation is absorbed by the cylindrical metal member sliding on the insertion plate. Therefore, even if the anode side of the disk and spacer combination is fixed, there is no risk of damaging the envelope.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the ion laser tube of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view in the tube axis direction showing one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the ion laser tube of the present invention includes a vacuum envelope 1 made of a transparent quartz bulb, and discs 3 and spacers 4 having a through hole in the center arranged alternately within the vacuum envelope 1. It mainly consists of a discharge capillary, an anode 2 located on one side of the discharge capillary, and a cathode 11 located on the other side and housed in a cathode bulb 9.

A spacer 4 is inserted between the graphite disks 3 constituting the discharge capillary to maintain a constant distance between the graphite disks 3, and the graphite disks 3 and spacer 4 are held by a support 5 that passes through them. Fixed.

Further, an anode introducing rod 12 is taken out from the anode 2 in an airtight manner, and the combination of the disk and the spacer 4 is supported by this anode introducing rod via the anode 2.

The vacuum envelope 1 and the cathode bulb 9 are hermetically joined via the enclosure dish 8. Further, the cathode 11 is supported by a cathode introduction rod 10 disposed inside the cathode bulb 9.

Furthermore, a pair of blue metal windows 13 are provided at both ends of the ion laser tube, facing each other with the discharge capillary in between, and having a certain inclination with respect to the tube axis.

In the present invention, the other end of the discharge capillary is connected to the ceramic member 6.
As such, a cylindrical metal member 7 was attached to the ceramic member 6, and the outer diameter of the cylindrical metal member 7 was internally fitted into an enclosure plate 8 constituting a part of the envelope of the ion laser tube. More specifically, the ceramic member 6 is provided with a columnar or annular protrusion, and this protrusion is inserted into the cylindrical metal member 7 and fixed therein.

On the other hand, the other end of the cylindrical metal member 7 is inscribed in the enclosure tray 8,
It can slide on the inner surface of the inclusion dish 8.

When a voltage is applied between the anode 2 and cathode 11 of the ion laser tube having such a structure to cause arc discharge, laser light is oscillated. The oscillated laser light is obtained through the blue meta window 13 by appropriately adjusting a pair of mirrors (not shown) located on an extension of the laser tube.

In the ion laser tube according to this embodiment, one end of the discharge capillary is supported by the anode introduction rod 12, and the other end of the discharge capillary is supported by the cylindrical metal member 7, so that the central axis of the discharge capillary is not eccentric. The optical axis stability increases without any problems.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the disk 3 constituting the discharge capillary
A combination of the spacer 4 and the spacer 4 was connected to the cylindrical metal member 7. Therefore, the elongation of the discharge capillary in the axial direction due to high heat during laser oscillation can be relieved by allowing the cylindrical metal member 7 to freely slide in the axial direction.

Effects of the Invention In the present invention, since the discharge capillary is supported by a cylindrical metal member, the discharge capillary is difficult to bend, has high optical axis stability, high output stability, and has a highly reliable laser with excellent mechanical strength. You can get the tube.

Furthermore, even if the anode side of the discharge capillary is supported and fixed, the cylindrical metal member can slide horizontally, so damage to the discharge capillary due to thermal stress can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the gas laser tube of the present invention. (Reference numbers) 1. Vacuum envelope, 2. Anode, 3. Graphite disk, 4. Spacer, 5. Support column, 6. Ceramic member, 7. Cylindrical metal member,

Claims (1)

[Claims] A discharge capillary in which disks and spacers having a through hole in the center are arranged alternately within a vacuum envelope, and the discharge capillary is sandwiched within the vacuum envelope. An ion laser tube comprising an anode and a cathode arranged opposite to each other, wherein a ceramic cylindrical member is provided at the cathode side end of the disk and spacer combination constituting the discharge capillary, and the ceramic member has a cylindrical member. The ion laser tube is characterized in that a cylindrical metal member is joined to the cylindrical metal member, and the cylindrical metal member is internally fitted into an enclosure plate forming a part of the vacuum envelope.