JPH10133145A - Guide light system for laser irradiating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To confirm a light converged spot position of an in-visible infrared rays laser by a visual sense. SOLUTION: This laser irradiating device is provided with a fiber 1 for infrared rays, the fibers 3 for visible light and a condenser lens 4 converging the infrared ray laser 6 emitted from the fiber 1 for infrared rays and visible light 7 emitted from the fibers 3 for visible light. In such a case, an infrared rays selective transmission plate 5 selectively transmitting the infrared rays laser 6 through and without transmitting the visible light 7 through is provided between the emission end surfaces of the fiber 1 for infrared rays and the fibers 3 for visible light, and the condenser lens 4, and by providing an opening 9 transmitting the visible light 7 through the infrared ray selective transmission plate 5, an incident angle of the visible light 7 on the condenser lens 4 is adjusted, and the visible light 7 is made to coincide with the light condensed spot position of the infrared rays laser 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of irradiating an infrared laser such as a carbon dioxide laser, a carbon monoxide laser or a semiconductor laser to a predetermined position on a human body or a workpiece using an infrared fiber as a waveguide. The present invention relates to a guide light system for visualizing a laser irradiation position in a laser irradiation device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a laser irradiation apparatus used for a medical laser knife or a low-power laser processing machine, an infrared fiber is used as a waveguide, and an infrared laser emitted from the waveguide is collected by a condenser lens. Laser treatment or processing is performed by irradiating a predetermined position on a human body or a processed object with light after increasing the energy density.

However, infrared lasers are invisible,
Since the irradiation position of the laser is invisible because it is invisible, it is required for safety to clearly indicate the irradiation position with visible light.

[0004] Therefore, a plurality of visible light waveguides are coated on the outer periphery of the infrared light fiber, or a visible light fiber is arranged, and the laser and the visible light are transmitted through the same condenser lens, thereby making the laser light visible. One that visualizes the irradiation position, or one that visualizes the laser irradiation position by correcting the angle and focus using a micro lens such as a gradient index lens at the plurality of emission ends of visible light is used. .

[0005]

However, when the infrared laser and the visible light pass through the condenser lens at the same time, the refractive index at the time of transmission through the condenser lens is different due to the difference in wavelength between the laser and the visible light. Since the position of the focused spot of the optical laser and the visible light is shifted,
The irradiation position of the infrared laser cannot be clearly specified.

The correction of the positions of the converging spots of the infrared laser and the visible light to prevent this shift cannot be performed simply by adjusting the emission positions of the respective lights. In particular, if the visible light fiber comes out ahead of the emission end face of the infrared laser, the visible light fiber is damaged.

Further, in the method of adjusting the emission direction of the visible light and changing the incident angle to the condenser lens to eliminate the difference in the refractive index, it is difficult to adjust and hold the angle of the visible light fiber.

In addition, the structure in which the focusing positions of the infrared laser and the visible light are matched by using a micro lens such as a gradient index lens while precisely correcting the angle and the focal point has a complicated structure. Not only is it difficult to manufacture, but also because the aperture of the holding part of the tip lens becomes large, the operability of a laser knife and the like deteriorates remarkably, and the condensing surface of visible light caused by the spherical aberration of the microlens is not good. There is a problem of clarity.

Particularly, in a fiber unit for a laser irradiation apparatus, which is used for a medical laser knife and a low-power laser processing machine, and includes an injector, an infrared fiber cable, and an optical system for condensing an emitted infrared laser,
It is safer to handle the laser more safely by matching the point where the visible light is focused with a clear boundary and the position of the focused spot of the infrared laser. It is also required to prevent There is also a need to simplify the structure and make the parts smaller.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems in a laser irradiation apparatus, and can easily match the position of a focused spot of an infrared laser with that of a visible light with a simple structure. Operability by specifying the irradiation position,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a guide light system for a laser irradiation device that improves safety.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided an infrared light fiber, a plurality of visible light fibers disposed around the infrared light fiber, and an infrared light emitted from the infrared light fiber. In a laser irradiation device including a light laser and a condenser lens for condensing visible light emitted from the visible light fiber, between the emission end face of the infrared light fiber and the visible light fiber and the condenser lens, An infrared light selective transmission plate that selectively transmits infrared light but does not transmit visible light is provided, and an opening that allows visible light to pass through the infrared light selective transmission plate is provided to guide the laser irradiation device's guide light system. Make up.

In the guide light system of this laser irradiation device, the infrared laser emitted from the infrared light fiber passes through the infrared light selective transmission plate and is condensed by the condenser lens. Visible light emitted from the visible light fiber cannot pass through the infrared light selective transmission plate, but can pass only through the opening. The visible light that has passed through the opening is collected by a condenser lens.

Here, the visible light collected by the condenser lens is not the image of the exit end face of the fiber for visible light, but the image of visible light at the opening of the infrared light selective transmission plate. It is a light. When the installation position of the infrared light selective transmission plate is brought closer to the condenser lens, the incident angle of the visible light to the condenser lens becomes larger, so that the position of the condensed spot becomes farther from the condenser lens. Conversely, if the installation position of the infrared light selective transmission plate is separated from the condenser lens, the incident angle of the visible light to the condenser lens becomes smaller, so that the position of the focused spot becomes closer to the condenser lens.

Therefore, if the infrared light selective transmission plate is provided at an appropriate position in consideration of the refractive index, the position of the focused spot of the infrared laser and the focused spot of the visible light can be matched. In this way, by matching the positions of the focused spot of the infrared laser and the focused spot of the visible light,
The focused spot of the invisible infrared laser can be visually recognized.

Since the visible light fiber cannot be set on the optical axis of the infrared light fiber, it is arranged on the outer periphery of the infrared light fiber. However, only one visible light fiber is provided to emit visible light. Then, the visible light deviates from the optical path of the infrared laser, and the visualization at the focus portion becomes impossible.
By arranging a plurality of visible light fibers symmetrically on the outer circumference of the infrared light fiber, a plurality of visible lights pass on the optical axis after the condenser lens, and a point where the plurality of visible lights pass is a visible light amount. Can be visualized. As the number of visible light fibers increases, the amount of light at a point through which a plurality of visible light passes increases, so that the visibility becomes easier.

Since this structure is simple, it is possible to reduce the size of the optical system of the fiber unit for the laser irradiation device. By providing the infrared light selective transmission plate so as to be movable in the optical axis direction of the infrared laser, the position of the focused spot of visible light can be adjusted. It is extremely easy to match the positions of the light converging spots.

The material of the infrared light selective transmission plate is changed to germanium, silicon, or gallium arsenide depending on the wavelength of the infrared light laser so that the transmittance of the infrared light laser is maximized.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a guide light system of a laser irradiation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The laser irradiation apparatus includes a laser oscillator (not shown) for generating an infrared laser 6, an infrared fiber 1 serving as a waveguide of the infrared laser 6, and an infrared laser 6 from the laser oscillator. An injector (not shown) for condensing and entering the infrared light fiber 1 and an emitter 2 for emitting an infrared laser 6 from the infrared light fiber 1 are provided.

As the oscillator of the infrared light laser 6, a carbon dioxide laser, a carbon monoxide laser, a semiconductor laser, or the like is used. Gas lasers are widely used in medical laser scalpels and small processing machines.

The injector includes a lens made of zinc selenide and a fiber connection adapter, and is protected from light, impact, and dust by the injector holder.
The injector performs the function of condensing the infrared laser 6 from the laser oscillator and injecting it into the infrared fiber 1.
The infrared light laser 6 is precisely assembled so that the infrared light laser 6 does not completely enter the end face of the injector and does not leak and burn.

The material of the infrared light fiber 1 is selected according to the laser wavelength from a laser oscillator, the laser power, and the purpose of use. As the carbon dioxide laser, thallium halide, silver halide, fluoride fiber, or hollow pipe can be used, but silver halide fiber is used because of toxicity, fiber transmittance, or elasticity.

Around the infrared light fiber 1, four to six quartz visible light fibers 3 are arranged as a waveguide for the visible light 7 of the guide light system. The visible light 7 to be used is a red semiconductor laser light which is also used for CD-ROM as an easily visible color because it is for visualizing the condensed spot 8 of the infrared laser 7 which cannot be visually recognized. Is preferred. Here, the wavelength emitted from the semiconductor type visible light laser oscillator is 0.64.
A red laser beam having an output of 3 mV is used.

The emitter 2 includes a condenser lens 4 and an infrared light selective transmission plate 5 built in an emitter holder (not shown).
Consists of The condenser lens 4 condenses the infrared laser 6 emitted from the fiber 1 for infrared light and the visible light 7 emitted from the fiber 3 for visible light, and is generally a plano-convex lens made of zinc selenide. Is used, but a homogeneous aspheric lens may be used to reduce spherical aberration.

The infrared light selective transmission plate 5 is provided between the emission end faces of the infrared light fiber 1 and the visible light fiber 3 and the condenser lens 4 so as to be movable in the optical axis direction of the infrared light laser 6. Have been.

The infrared light selective transmission plate 5 includes an infrared light laser 6
Selectively transmits but does not transmit visible light 7. The material is silicon at a wavelength of 1.3 to 2 μm of a semiconductor laser or a YAG laser, and arsenic at a wavelength of 5 μm of a carbon monoxide laser. At a wavelength of 10.6 μm, which is the wavelength of a gallium or carbon dioxide gas laser, germanium is suitable from the viewpoint of transmittance. Infrared light selective transmission plate 5
Is determined by the permissible transmittance of the infrared light laser 6 and the strength of the infrared light selective transmission plate 5.

Here, a carbon dioxide laser is used as the infrared laser 6. The infrared selective transmission plate 5 is made of germanium and has a thickness of 0.5 mm. Is provided with an opening 9 having a diameter of 1 mm for allowing the visible light 7 to pass therethrough.

As the fiber 1 for infrared light, a silver halide fiber for carbon dioxide laser transmission is used. The infrared laser 6 emitted from the infrared fiber 1
Is transmitted through the infrared light selective transmission plate 5 and then condensed by the condenser lens 4. The condenser lens 4 is made of zinc selenide having a focal length of a carbon dioxide laser of 25 mm. The visible light 7 emitted from the visible light fiber 3 cannot pass through the infrared light selective transmission plate 5, but the visible light 7 that has passed through the opening 9 is collected by the condenser lens 4.

The refractive index of zinc selenide at 10.6 μm, which is the wavelength of a carbon dioxide laser, is 2.40, and the refractive index at 0.64 μm, which is the wavelength of a semiconductor-type visible light laser, is 2.5.
8, if the selective transmission plate 5 is not provided, the position of the focused spot 8 of the infrared laser 6 and the visible light 7 is shifted.
The visible light 7 is focused at a position closer to the condenser lens 4.

In order to eliminate this displacement, the infrared light selective transmission plate 5 is installed at a position 4.5 mm from the emission end face of the infrared light fiber 1, and the condenser lens 4 comes at a position 34 mm therefrom. It was arranged as follows.

By arranging the infrared light selective transmission plate 5 in this way, the incident angle of the visible light 7 to the condenser lens 4 becomes large, so that the positions of the infrared laser 6 and the focused spot 8 of the visible light 7 are increased. Can be matched. Therefore, the focused spot of the invisible infrared laser can be visually recognized. In addition, distortion of the light-collecting surface due to spherical aberration associated with the conventional method of correcting with a microlens has been eliminated, and visualization in a clear form has become possible.

[0032]

As described above, according to the guide light system of the laser irradiation apparatus of the present invention, the structure is simple,
By aligning the positions of the focused spots of the infrared laser and the visible light, the laser irradiation position can be visually confirmed, and operability and safety can be improved.

By providing the infrared light selective transmission plate so as to be movable in the optical axis direction of the infrared light laser, the position of the visible light converging spot can be adjusted. It becomes extremely easy to match the position of the spot with the position of the focused spot of visible light.

The material of the infrared light selective transmission plate can be changed to germanium, silicon, or gallium arsenide according to the wavelength of the infrared light laser so that the transmittance of the infrared light laser is maximized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a guide light system of a laser irradiation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Infrared light fiber 2 Emitting device 3 Visible light fiber 4 Condenser lens 5 Infrared light selective transmission plate 6 Infrared light laser 7 Visible light 8 Focusing spot 9 Opening

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An infrared light fiber, and a plurality of visible light fibers arranged around the infrared light fiber;
In a laser irradiation apparatus including an infrared laser emitted from an infrared light fiber and a condenser lens for condensing visible light emitted from a visible light fiber, an infrared light fiber and a visible light fiber are provided. An infrared light selective transmission plate that selectively transmits infrared laser light but does not transmit visible light is provided between the emission end face of the and the condenser lens, and an opening that allows visible light to pass through the infrared light selective transmission plate. A guide light system for a laser irradiation device, comprising: 2. The guide light system for a laser irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the infrared light selective transmission plate is provided so as to be movable in the optical axis direction of the infrared light laser. 3. A guide light system for a laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared light selective transmission plate is made of germanium, silicon, or gallium arsenide.