Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
  • H01S3/00—Lasers, i.e. devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wave range
  • H01S3/02—Constructional details
  • H01S3/04—Arrangements for thermal management
  • H01S3/041—Arrangements for thermal management for gas lasers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
  • H01S3/00—Lasers, i.e. devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wave range
  • H01S3/02—Constructional details
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
  • H01S3/00—Lasers, i.e. devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wave range
  • H01S3/05—Construction or shape of optical resonators; Accommodation of active medium therein; Shape of active medium

Definitions

• a Laser Assembly This invention relates to the construction of lasers. It is primarily concerned with gas lasers, CO 2 lasers in particular, but there is no reason why the same principles should not be applied to liquid and solid lasers.
• a laser assembly comprising a base, ar.d a laser tube and associated optical elements mounted on the base, wherein the base is a solid-setting material into which are set other components of the assembly.
• a method of constructing lasers wherein the laser tube and associated optical elements are supported in a mould which is then filled with a solidsetting initially liquid or semi-liquid material, and a substantially complete laser head assembly is removed from the mould when the material is set.
• a method of constructing lasers wherein mountings for the laser tube and associated optical elements are supported in conjunction with a mould, the mould is filled with a solid-setting initially liquid or semi-liquid material which sets around parts of said mountings, and the laser tube and associated elements are secured to other parts of said mountings.
• the preferred solid-setting material is cement based (herein referred to as concrete) and may be fibre reinforced.
• the aggregate used with the cement may be natural (for example sand) or may be a manufactured material. This can provide greater strength and better insulating properties than sand.
• Various admixtures such as fly-ash, polymers or plasticisers can also be included for particular results.
• the fibres are conveniently glass fibres, although other reinforcement can be adopted.
• Gas lasers require cooling, and ducts for a fluid cooling medium, generally water, can be moulded into the tube mounting.
• a fluid cooling medium generally water
• Concrete is one of the most suitable materials for use as an optical bench or table, and the additon of fibres only improves its quality in this respect.
• the use of a mould means that the operation can be repeated accurately for an indefinite number of times, and of course with mass production and such a material as glass reinforced cement (GRC) the expense can be considerably reduced.
• GRC glass reinforced cement
• Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a laser head assembly constructed by the method of this invention
• Figure 2 is a similar section, in more diagrammatic form, of a laser head assembly with a folded optical path
• Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a further laser head assembly
• Figure 4 is an end view of the assembly of Figure 3.
• Figure 5 is a diagrammatic section of another laser head assembly with a folded optical path.
• the assembly of Figure 1 has a laser tube 1 with branches 2 and 3 near its ends for the input and outlet of. gas.
• the tube is supported in a solid block 4 moulded as described below, the support zones being near the branches 2 and 3 and being separated by a water cavity 5.
• This has inlet and outlet ducts 6 and 7 respectively.
• the ends of the tube 1 emerge into cavities 8 into whose mouths are set mirror supports 9.
• the mirrors are shown at 10, and are held by clamping rings 11 adjustable by screws 12.
• Electrodes 13 axe housed in chambers 14 opening into the branches 2 and 3, and their power leads 15 extend through the block 4 to exterior terminals 16.
• this assembly is effected by mounting the tube 1 with the mirror supports 9 in a mould.
• the central portion of the tube 1 is encased in a jacket with two arms corresponding to the cavity 5 and the ducts 6 and 7.
• This jacket is made of a substance, such as expanded polystyrene, which can be dissolved out to create the cavity.
• the electrodes 13 and the leads 15 are also set in position.
• the concrete mix may then be poured or sprayed over the laser tube assembly until the mould cavity is filled.
• the mix will generally be vibrated or vacuum drawn to consolidate it.
• the assembly is removed and the water cavity can be created by dissolving out the material of the jacket. Since the block 4 is to act as a water duct, the mix will have additives that will make it water-proof, such as polymers or plasticisers, and/or a water-proofing agent can be flowed through the cavity to line its surface.
• Figure 2 shows a similar construction for a "folded" laser.
• the optical path of the laser is reflected at two intermediate points 17 in order to reduce the physical length of the laser assembly, although the optical length will be approximately three times that dimension, enabling greater power.
• Each mirror assembly 26 has a mount plate 28which extends over most of the outer side of the associated plate 21 and which can be adjusted relative thereto by dynamic mounts 29 and micro-position adjusters 30.
• the mirror 31 is carried by a holder 32 central of the plate 28.
• This construction may be adopted when a separate resonator cavity from the plasma tube is required, and it will allow the use of sealed plasma tubes. It can also be employed for a through-flow system where more accurate and adjustable mirror mounts are required, and it will be seen from the Figures that they are readily accessible.
• the concrete trough forms a stable base for the mirrors, via the rigidly held plates 21, the positional stability of the mirrors being limited largely by the integrity and stability of the dynamic mounts 29 and the micro-position adjusters 30. Except for the elements set into the concrete, all parts are easily replaceable.
• Figure 5 illustrates how this form of construction can be applied to a folded beam system.
• a concrete substrate 33 has set into it mirror mounts 34 and adjustand-lock mounts 35 for the tube/water jacket assemblies.
• the laser would derive its stable performance from the mechanical and thermal stability of the concrete used.
• reference is made to lasers It should be understood that the invention could equally well be applied to other optical apparatus requiring great stability and accuracy, and the term laser is to be construed in the following claims as embracing such apparatus.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Lasers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10508959

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (1)

Citations (3)

• 1980
  • 1980-11-03 JP JP50242780A patent/JPS56501744A/ja active Pending
  • 1980-11-03 WO PCT/GB1980/000190 patent/WO1981001348A1/en not_active Ceased
• 1981
  • 1981-05-19 EP EP19800901966 patent/EP0038813A1/en not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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