JPS63228686A - Gas laser oscillation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To excellently secure an interelectrode insulation distance without requiring a large-sized device for improving laser output by forming an insulation area of a recessed shape or a projecting shape or a rugged shape in the interelectrode gap parts on the tube surface of a discharge tube. CONSTITUTION:In a discharge tube 1 consisting of dielectrics, insulators 15a-15d of a thin plate shape are arranged in a double fold shape as illustrated in the gap parts between the electrodes 3 and 4 making a pair on the tube surface for forming an insulation area. This arrangement is performed by adhesion or the like with an insulating adhesive. In this way, double or multiple folds are formed so as to enormously increase the insulating distance between the pair of the electrodes 3 and 4. Accordingly, in this case, even voltage (high- frequency AC voltage) to be impressed on this pair of electrodes 3 and 4 is considerably raised, breakdown is hard to be caused between these electrodes so that laser of high-output can be stably oscillated and supplied.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention produces a laser beam by causing a discharge inside a dielectric discharge tube filled with a laser medium gas such as CO, N, or H. This invention relates to a gas laser oscillation device that induces

[Prior Art] Conventionally, there has been a gas laser oscillation device using this method as shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional high-frequency excitation high-speed axial CO2 laser device, and FIG. 7 (a> indicates ■-■ in FIG. 6).
7(b) is an enlarged side view of the same portion.

That is, in these figures, 1 and 2 are discharge tubes made of dielectric material such as glass, ceramic, titanium oxide, etc.; 3.4
Reference numerals 5 and 6 denote pairs of metal electrodes provided on the outer wall of the discharge tube 1.2, respectively, 7 is a total reflection mirror, 8 is a partial reflection mirror, 9 is each electrode pair 3, 4 and 5, 6 is a high frequency power supply electrically connected, 10 is a roots blower (air blower)
, 11° 12 is a heat exchanger, 13 is a diffuser nozzle,
14 is an air pipe. Also, in the same figure, E is the discharge tube 1
, 2, the arrow G indicates the direction of the gas flow, respectively.

Next, the operation of this device will be explained.

Inside the discharge tubes 1 and 2 of the laser oscillator, CO2°N, Ho
The laser medium gas consisting of a mixed gas of about 100 Torr
It is filled with a gas pressure of r.

Therefore, when a high frequency AC voltage is applied from the high frequency power supply 9 to each metal voltage pair 3, 4 and 5, 6, the discharge tube 1
, 2, a high frequency discharge E occurs through the dielectric, and 002
molecules are excited. The 002 molecules excited by this high frequency discharge cause laser oscillation within the optical resonance mechanism constituted by the total reflection mirror 7 and the partial reflection mirror 8.

A portion of the laser light thus oscillated is extracted to the outside through the partial reflecting mirror 8.

On the other hand, the laser medium gas is cooled through heat exchangers 11 and 12, and circulates at high speed in the direction of arrow G within the discharge tubes 1 and 2 and the air pipe 14 based on the air blown by the roots blower 10.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Such a conventional gas laser oscillation device has a discharge tube 1,
2 is generally formed with a simple cylindrical structure as shown in FIG.
．． 6), the insulation distance L(
(see FIGS. 7(a) and (b)) has its own limitations.

Moreover, in order to achieve good discharge throughout the entire area inside the discharge tube, it is desirable that each of the electrodes itself has a certain width, and from this point of view, the insulation between the electrodes is The problem of distance is serious.

Incidentally, if such insulation distance cannot be ensured sufficiently, (a) the voltage between the electrodes cannot be raised sufficiently.

That is, if the voltage is increased beyond a certain level, dangerous conditions such as creeping discharge or sparks may occur between these electrodes, so this voltage is limited. In other words, the upper limit of laser output is determined by this limited voltage.

(b) The electrode width cannot be sufficiently widened. That is, the discharge area inside the discharge tube cannot be sufficiently expanded (of course, this is also a factor in not being able to sufficiently increase the laser output).

This will lead to other inconveniences.

This invention aims to improve the laser output by ensuring a good insulation distance between the electrodes without increasing the size of the device.

[Means to Solve the Problem] In the present invention, each boundary portion of the discharge tube surface where the electrodes are arranged, that is, the active gap portion of the tube surface, is provided with a concave shape, a convex shape, or an uneven shape. so as to form an insulating area. This insulating region may be formed directly on the surface of the discharge tube made of a dielectric material by processing it, or it may be formed by attaching another insulating material to the surface of the discharge tube. It's okay.

[Effect]

The formation of such an insulating region substantially increases the leading edge distance between the electrodes. Furthermore, the insulation distance can be increased or decreased arbitrarily and easily depending on the shape, size, etc. of the insulation region to be formed.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a gas laser oscillation device according to the present invention.

However, the general configuration of the embodiment device shown in FIG.
In common with the apparatus shown in FIG. 6, only the cross-sectional structure of the discharge tube and the M4 side surface of a portion of the tip thereof, which correspond to FIG. 7, are shown here. In addition, in this Figure 1 (the same applies to Figures 2 to 5 below), the same elements as those shown in Figure 6 or Figure 7 of the front cylinder are denoted by the same reference numerals. , duplicate explanations will be omitted.

Now, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a discharge tube 1 (or 2) made of a dielectric material has a pair of electrodes 3 (or 5) and an electrode 4 (or 6) on its tube surface. In the gap, thin plate-shaped insulators 158 to 15d are arranged in a double pleat shape as shown in the figure to form an insulating region.

This arrangement is performed by adhesion using an insulating adhesive or the like.

By forming double or even multiple insulation folds in this way, the insulation distance between the electrode pairs 3 and 4 becomes very large. Therefore, in the case of this embodiment device, even if the voltage (high-frequency AC voltage) applied to these electrode pairs 3 and 4 is considerably increased, dielectric breakdown between these electrodes is unlikely to occur, and as a result, the high-output laser can be stabilized. This makes it possible to supply oscillation.

FIG. 2 shows a second example of the gas laser oscillation device according to the present invention.
This is an example of the following.

Here, as well as the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the general structure is the same as the device shown in FIG. 6, and the cross section of the discharge tube corresponds to FIG. 7. Only the structure and a part of the side structure of its tip are shown.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a material such as a filler that can be used as an inorganic adhesive is placed in the gap between the electrodes 3 and 4 on the tube surface of the discharge tube 1. The insulation area is formed by arranging them in a similar manner.

In the case of this second embodiment device as well, the insulation distance between the electrode pairs 3 and 4 can be made sufficiently large, and this also makes it possible to stably oscillate and supply a high-output laser.

In both of the above two embodiments, another leading edge member was attached to a discharge tube having a simple cylindrical shape to form the required insulation area. Third to fifth embodiments in which required insulation regions are formed on the surface are shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, respectively.

In the devices of the third to fifth embodiments, similar to the devices of the first and second embodiments, the main structure is the same as that of the sixth embodiment.
As common to the device shown in the figure, only the cross-sectional structure of the discharge tube and the partial side structure of its tip portion corresponding to FIG. 7 are shown here.

First, in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a discharge tube 20 is used in which a concave groove is provided in the tube surface corresponding to the gap between the electrodes 3 and 4 as shown in the figure.

This discharge tube 20 is also made of glass, ceramic, etc., as described above.
It is made of a dielectric material such as titanium oxide, and the insulation area formed as the groove also makes it possible to increase the insulation distance between the electrode pairs 3 and 4, as in the first or second embodiment. can do. Therefore, the device of the third embodiment can also stably oscillate and supply a high-output laser.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a discharge tube 30 is used, in which a convex projection P is provided on the tube surface corresponding to the gap between the electrodes 3 and 4 as shown in the figure.

Of course, the insulating region formed as this protrusion P also
As with the devices of the previous embodiments, the insulation distance between the electrode pairs 3 and 4 can be made large, and this fourth embodiment of the device also makes it possible to stably oscillate and supply a high-power laser. Can be done.

In the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the tube surface corresponding to the gap between the electrodes 3 and 4 is provided with a concave groove and a convex protrusion P as shown in the figure. A discharge tube 40 is used.

The device of the fifth embodiment, which is a combination of the third and fourth embodiments, also makes it possible to increase the insulation distance between the electrode pairs 3 and 4, thereby stabilizing the high-output laser. It is clear that oscillation can be supplied using

Note that in each of these first to fifth embodiments, only the case where one pair of electrodes is arranged on the surface of the discharge tube is illustrated, but the present invention is applicable to the case where a plurality of pairs of electrodes are arranged around the surface of the discharge tube. Needless to say, the present invention can also be applied to devices in which the invention is arranged.

Similarly, in the first to fifth embodiments, a gas laser oscillation device of the type having two discharge tubes as shown in FIG. The invention is equally applicable to tube-type devices ff N or devices having three or more discharge tubes, and so on.

Further, the form and shape of the above-mentioned insulating region also vary from the above-mentioned first to
The form and shape of the apparatus according to the fifth embodiment are not limited to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, but may be arbitrary, and even if the discharge tube is provided with an insulator, the tube surface of the discharge tube itself Regardless of whether it is processed into a material or a combination of these, the essential point is that it has a concave, convex, or uneven insulation area between the electrodes to increase the insulation distance between these electrodes. Good to have. As described above, the insulation distance can be arbitrarily and easily increased or decreased depending on the shape, size, etc. of these elements.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the insulation distance between each electrode can be increased without increasing the size of the device itself.

Therefore, the voltage between the zero electrodes can be sufficiently increased. That is, the electric power that can be injected into the discharge tube can be made sufficiently large.

0 The width of the electrode can be sufficiently widened. That is, the discharge excitation area within the discharge tube can be made sufficiently wide.

Efficiency improvements such as these can be achieved, and the laser output is also improved accordingly.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view and a side view showing a cross-sectional structure and a partial side structure of a discharge tube of a first embodiment of a gas laser beam oscillator according to the present invention, and FIGS. Embodiment 5 is a cross-sectional view and a side view showing the cross-sectional structure and partial side structure of the discharge tube, respectively. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the schematic structure of an example of a conventional gas laser oscillation device. FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view and a side view showing a cross-sectional structure and a partial side structure of a discharge tube of the device shown in FIG. 6; 1.2,20,30.40...discharge tube, 3,4°5.
6... Electrode, 7... Total reflection mirror, 8... Partial reflection mirror, 9... High frequency power supply, 10... Roots proa, 11
゜12... Heat exchanger, 13... Diffuser nozzle, 14... Air pipe, 15a to 15d, 16a, 1
6b... Insulator Figure 1 (α) (b) Figure 3 ((!') (b) Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A discharge tube made of a dielectric material and filled with a laser medium gas, and at least one pair of electrodes disposed opposite to a tube surface of the discharge tube, the electrode pair being In a gas laser oscillation device that induces oscillation of laser light by applying a required voltage to cause a discharge in the discharge tube, each boundary portion of the surface of the discharge tube where the electrodes are arranged has a concave or convex shape. A gas laser oscillation device characterized in that an insulating region is formed in a shape or an uneven shape.