SK9114Y1 - Laser head with limited deflection during temperature changes - Google Patents

Abstract

The laser head with limited deflection during temperature changes is solved in such a way that the side walls (1) connecting the wall (2) with the placed high voltage bushing (8) of the main discharge electrodes with the opposite wall (3) of the laser head are attached by a thermally conductive connection metal plate parts (4) with high thermal conductivity. The metal plate parts (4) have a significantly lower specific weight than the material of the laser head itself.

Description

Technical field

The technical solution relates to the construction of laser heads with a resonator firmly connected to the head body used in systems whose operating temperature can change significantly and rapidly. These temperature changes can be caused by external influences, when the "storage" temperature system must suddenly operate in an environment with significantly different temperatures or internal influences, when the laser head is heated by waste heat during intensive laser work. The technical solution belongs to the field of laser technology.

Prior art

Laser heads of several types of lasers, e.g. "TEA" (Transversally Excited at Atmospheric pressure) are often designed so that the heat transfer between the head and the environment is significant only over part of their surface, because such laser heads are designed as blocks that have good thermal contact with the environment through only one of At least two walls, usually three, are equipped with high-voltage bushings, the other two carry elements of the optical resonator of the head, where on one wall there is a semi-transparent mirror and on the opposite wall is a "totally" reflecting mirror.Four to five walls out of six they are thus logically excluded from significant heat transfer.The sixth wall is connected via a low thermal resistance to a heat sink mediating the exchange of heat with the environment.

Under these circumstances, a thermal gradient develops on the head. The thermal resistance of the sixth wall of the head, where it is usually the area of the largest wall against the surroundings, is small, the resistance of the other walls is large. As the material of the head has a certain, often non-negligible, thermal expansion, deformation occurs - the deflection of the laser head. The described process cannot be symmetrical against the resonator axis. Since the simplest and in several respects also the most advantageous design of the head uses resonator elements directly and firmly connected to the head body, this leads to the disintegration of the resonator mirrors, as they cease to be ideally parallel. The consequence of such a condition is a deterioration of parameters or even a laser failure.

In order to reduce the influence of thermal dynamics on the mechanical stability of the laser optical resonator, it has thus become possible to solve this problem by technical means which are able to provide more stable laser parameters. As a result of this effort, a modified construction of the laser head with limited deflection with temperature changes according to this technical solution is further described.

The essence of the technical solution

These shortcomings are largely eliminated by a laser head with limited deflection during temperature changes according to the technical solution. Laser heads of TEA lasers, t. j. gas lasers are constructed of materials that have good vacuum properties and are also well weldable. A suitable material is e.g. stainless steel. However, these materials have only low thermal conductivity and high specific gravity. The essence of the construction of the laser head according to the described technical solution lies in the fact that metal plate parts with high thermal conductivity are attached to the side walls connecting the wall with the placed HV bushing of the main discharge electrodes to the opposite wall of the laser head. The side walls of the laser head transfer heat between the warmest wall with the HV passage of the main discharge electrodes located and the coldest opposite wall of the head. The wall with the placed HV bushing of the main discharge electrodes is practically the upper wall. The opposite wall is practically the bottom wall. In addition to high thermal conductivity, metal plate parts also have a low specific weight, which makes the material suitable, e.g. aluminum. Metal plate parts have a significantly lower specific weight than the material of the laser head itself. Due to weather and / or operating conditions, it is possible that the bottom wall will be warmest with the laser head and the top wall will be coldest.

The advantages of the construction of the laser head according to this technical solution are obvious from the effects which are manifested externally. In general, it can be stated that the originality of the solution lies in the fact that with a slight increase in the weight of the head, it is possible to significantly reduce the thermal resistance between the warmest and coldest wall of the head. The result is a reduction in the temperature difference between the walls of the head, which significantly reduces the influence of thermal dynamics on the mechanical stability of the optical resonator, and thus leads to more stable laser parameters.

Overview of figures in the drawings

The laser head with limited deflection during temperature changes according to this technical solution is shown in the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 1 shows the laser head itself in a side view and in re2

SK 9114 Υ1 from A - A. In fig. 2 shows the laser head itself in a top view and in a front view.

Examples of embodiments

The individual embodiments according to the technical solution are presented for illustration and not as limitations of technical solutions. Those skilled in the art will find, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to specific embodiments of the invention. Such equivalents will also fall within the scope of the protection claims.

The optimal design of the structure and the selection of its elements cannot be a problem for those skilled in the art, therefore these features have not been addressed in detail.

Example 1

In this example of a specific embodiment of the subject of the technical solution, the construction of the TEA CO2 laser head in the shape of a block made of stainless steel is described, as shown in FIG. 1 and 2. The laser head of the TEA CO2 laser has a front wall 5 and a rear wall 6, which carry resonator mirrors 7. At the top, the laser head has a wall 2 with a HV main bushing 8 of the main discharge electrodes and at the bottom dissipates heat from the head. The left and right side walls 1 carry the HV bushings 8 of the predionizers. The thermal gradient which deforms the laser head arises between the warmest wall 2 with the HV passage 8 of the main discharge electrodes located and the coldest opposite wall 3, as a result of which the resonator is detuned. However, this thermal gradient is significantly limited so that between the warmest wall 2 with the HV passage 8 of the main discharge electrodes and the coldest opposite wall 3 of the laser head, metal plate parts 4 with high thermal conductivity and low specific weight are placed, the material is aluminum , attached by a thermally conductive connection to the side walls 1 connecting the wall 2 with the located HV bushing 8 of the main discharge electrodes and the opposite wall 3 of the laser head.

Alternatively, due to weather and / or operating conditions, it is possible that they can be interchanged with the laser head (top wall and bottom wall).

Industrial applicability

The laser head with limited deflection during temperature changes can be used in applications of laser technology.

Claims (2)

CLAIMS FOR PROTECTION A laser head with limited deflection during temperature changes, comprising a wall with a located HV bushing of the main discharge electrodes and side walls with bushings, an opposite wall, a front wall and a rear wall with optical resonator elements, characterized in that the side walls (1) connecting the wall (2) with the located HV bushing (8) of the main discharge electrodes to the opposite wall (3) of the laser head are metal plate parts (4) with high thermal conductivity attached by a thermally conductive joint. Laser head with limited deflection during temperature changes according to claim 1, characterized in that the metal plate parts (4) have a significantly lower specific gravity than the material of the laser head itself.