JPS63245977A - Ultraviolet ray-excited laser oscillator tube - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make uniform an ultraviolet ray irradiation in a laser discharge space by forming one of main discharge electrode pair in a mesh structure, and providing a plurality of auxiliary discharge electrode pairs through the main discharge electrode of the mesh structure outside the laser discharge space. CONSTITUTION:A main discharge electrode for a laser discharge is composed of a platelike electrode 1 and an electrode 1c of a mesh structure, a plurality of auxiliary discharge electrodes 2, 2c for generating an ultraviolet ray are disposed outside the electrode 1c of the mesh structure. With this configuration, an ultraviolet ray by the discharge between the electrodes 2 and 2c for generating the ultraviolet ray is actually applied through the electrode 1c of the mesh structure uniformly to the laser discharge space between the electrodes 1 and 1c for discharging a laser.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] <Industrial application field> The present invention relates to an ultraviolet-excited laser oscillation tube.

<Prior Art> In excimer lasers and TEA-CCh lasers, it is necessary to pre-excite the laser gas with ultraviolet rays or X-rays. If X-rays are used, it is relatively easy to uniformly pre-excite the laser gas between the pair of laser discharge electrodes over a wide area due to their strong transparency, but the drawback is that the equipment becomes larger. Generally, a method of preliminary excitation using ultraviolet light is adopted.

For example, as shown in the fourth column, an ultraviolet-excited laser oscillator tube using such a method includes, in addition to a main discharge electrode pair 1.1a for laser discharge, an auxiliary discharge for arc discharge for ultraviolet generation. Electrode pairs 2, 2a and 3, 3a are provided. The auxiliary discharge electrode has a needle-like shape to facilitate generation of arc discharge. Auxiliary discharge electrode pair 2, 2
Prior to laser discharge, a high voltage is applied between a and 3.3a, and after exciting the laser gas between the main discharge electrode pair 1 and 1c by the ultraviolet rays generated by the arc discharge, the main discharge electrode pair 1. Generate laser discharge during 1a. In the figure, capacitors 2b and 3b connected to auxiliary discharge electrodes 2 and 3 are capacitors for storing arc discharge voltage.

Note that reference numbers 4 and 5 indicate a heat exchanger for cooling the laser gas and a fan for circulating the laser gas, respectively. Also, reference number 6 is thyratron S, capacitor C
An external circuit for driving a laser oscillation tube consisting of a reactor and a reactor is shown, but this is a normal charge transfer type high-voltage pulse generation circuit, and a description of its operation will be omitted.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In the configuration of the ultraviolet-excited laser oscillation tube as described above, in order to increase the output of laser oscillation, it is necessary to increase the area of the laser discharge space between the pair of main discharge electrodes. For this reason, the distance between the center of the discharge space and the auxiliary discharge electrode pair becomes large (which reduces the intensity and uniformity of the ultraviolet irradiation, and also reduces the output and efficiency of laser oscillation). I will do it.

The present invention provides a solution to the above-mentioned drawbacks of conventional ultraviolet-excited laser tubes.

<Means for solving the problem> In order to solve the problem, in the ultraviolet excitation type laser oscillation tube according to the present invention, one electrode of the main discharge electrode pair for laser discharge is made into a mesh structure, and the electrode for ultraviolet generation is A plurality of auxiliary discharge electrode pairs are arranged outside the laser discharge space between the main discharge electrode pairs via the main discharge electrodes formed in the above-mentioned mesh structure.

<Function> Due to the configuration of each discharge electrode pair as described above, the main discharge electrode having a mesh structure transmits the ultraviolet rays generated between the plurality of auxiliary discharge electrode pairs arranged outside the main discharge electrode to the entire area of the laser discharge space. substantially uniform transmission over the entire area.

<Example> Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure and arrangement of each discharge electrode of a laser oscillation tube according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the same figure,
The mesh-structured electrode 1c and the plate-shaped electrode 1 constitute a main discharge electrode pair 1, 1c for laser discharge, and on the outside of the network-structured electrode 1c, a plurality of needle-shaped electrodes 2 and plate-shaped electrodes 2c are arranged for generating ultraviolet rays. This constitutes an auxiliary discharge electrode pair 2.2c. The discharge between the auxiliary discharge electrode pair occurs between the needle electrode 2 and the edge portion of the side surface of the plate electrode 2c. Note that a side view and a front view of the above electrode structure are shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, respectively.

As can be seen from the above description and FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, according to the present invention, a plurality of auxiliary discharge electrode pairs 2.
The ultraviolet rays generated by the discharge between the main discharge electrodes 1 and 2c pass through the main electrode 1 having a mesh structure, and substantially uniformly irradiate the laser discharge space between the main discharge electrode pair 1°10.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained above, according to the present invention, a wide laser discharge space is uniformly irradiated with ultraviolet rays, making it possible to realize a high-performance, high-output laser oscillation tube using an ultraviolet excitation type system. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. 2 and 3 are a side view and a front view, respectively, showing the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional example. 1... Plate-shaped main discharge electrode 1c... Mesh-structured main discharge electrode 2... Needle-shaped auxiliary discharge electrode 2c... Plate-shaped auxiliary discharge electrode

Claims (1)

[Claims] The above-mentioned method has a plurality of auxiliary discharge electrode pairs for generating ultraviolet rays and a main discharge electrode pair for laser discharge, and the laser gas is excited by the ultraviolet rays generated by the discharge between the plurality of auxiliary discharge electrode pairs. A laser oscillator tube configured to cause a laser discharge between a pair of main discharge electrodes, wherein one side electrode constituting the pair of main discharge electrodes is composed of a network structure electrode plate having a network structure. The plurality of auxiliary discharge electrode pairs are disposed outside the laser discharge space between the main discharge electrode pairs via the network structure electrode plate, so that an arc between the plurality of auxiliary discharge electrode pairs is prevented. An ultraviolet excitation type laser oscillation tube characterized in that the ultraviolet rays generated by discharge are configured to pass through the network electrode plate and irradiate the laser discharge space.