JPH0685350A - Gas laser oscillator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain stabilized laser beams by a method wherein multiple cavities are provided on the wall surface near the anode and cathode of a discharge electrode along the flowing direction of laser gas so as to absorb the residual reflected shock waves. CONSTITUTION:Cavities 13a-13d are provided near the anode 7b, cathode 7a on the electrode fitting boards 12a, 12b fitted with the anode 7b and cathode 7a in a discharge part. At this time, the widths Wa, Wb of these cavities 13a (13c), 13b (13d) are specified to meet the formulas I, II to the electrode width Wc. Likewise, the depths Ha, Hb of the cavities 13a (13c), 13b (13d) are specified to meet the formulas III, IV. Besides, the other width La, Lb of the cavities 13a (13c), 13b (13d) are specified to meet the formulas V, VI to the electrode width Wc. Furthermore, the pitches Ma, Mb of the cavities 13a (13c), 13b (13d) are specified to meet the formulas VII, VIII. Through these procedures, the laser gas can flow from left to right between the cathode 7a and anode 7b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gas laser oscillator capable of obtaining a stable laser beam.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A currently known conventional gas laser oscillator will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the gas laser oscillator device 1.
The laser gas 3 for laser oscillation is enclosed in
Inside the airtight container 2, a blower 4, a cooler 5a, a cathode 7a of a discharge electrode, an anode 7b, and a cooler 5b which are opposed to each other via a gap 6 are sequentially installed in the circumferential direction along the container wall 2a. .

A blower 4 is further provided in the airtight container 2.
The drive device 8 is installed in the. The discharge electrodes 7a and 7b are connected to a high-voltage power source (not shown) outside the airtight container 2 via the electrode supporting board 9a, and 7b is attached to the electrode supporting board 9b.

When the gas laser oscillator 1 having such a configuration is operated, first, the driving device 8 is operated, the power thereof is transmitted to the blower, and the laser gas 3 is cooled by the blower 4 to the cooler 5.
After passing through a, it is guided to the space (discharge region) 6 between the cathode 7a and the anode 7b of the discharge electrode. Then, the cathode 7a and the anode 7b of the discharge electrode fed from a high voltage power source (not shown).
Generates a pulsed glow discharge in the air gap 6 to excite the laser gas 3 that has flowed in to cause laser oscillation. A laser beam (not shown) generated by the laser oscillation is taken out of the airtight container 2.

[0005]

On the other hand, 90% or more of the energy related to glow discharge is consumed by heating the laser gas 3. Then, the laser gas 3 expands due to this heating, and when the expansion speed exceeds the speed of sound, the shock wave 10a causes a gap 6 between the cathode 7a and the anode 7b of the discharge electrode as shown in FIG.
Occurs in. After the shock wave 10a is generated, 10b, 10
Go ahead with c. However, the anode 7b and the electrode mounting plate 11
And then proceed to the cathode side as in 10d. In this way, the shock wave remains after being reflected between the electrodes, and the stability of the discharge largely depends on the stability of the flow velocity and the concentration of the laser gas 3 flowing through the gap 6 between the cathode 7a and the anode 7b of the discharge electrode.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and stabilizes the flow velocity and concentration of the laser gas 3,
An object of the present invention is to provide a gas laser oscillating device that can obtain a stable laser beam.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, a gas laser oscillator according to the present invention comprises an anode of a discharge electrode and
It is characterized in that a plurality of cavities are provided on the wall surface near the cathode along the flow direction of the laser gas to absorb the residual shock wave reflected by the shock wave.

[0008]

In the gas laser oscillating device of the present invention, the shock wave generated from the anode and the cathode is guided to the inside of the cavity provided in the vicinity of the anode and the cathode, thereby absorbing or relaxing the reflected wave of the shock wave and discharging electrode. It is possible to reduce the density of the laser gas in the space between them.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a discharge part of a gas laser oscillator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Moreover, FIG.
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of FIG. Since the basic structure of the discharge unit according to the present embodiment is not substantially different from that shown in FIG. 3, the corresponding portions are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In this discharge part, the anode 7b and the cathode 7a
Anode 7b of the electrode mounting board 12a, 12b to which the
Recesses 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d are provided near the cathode 7a. These recesses 13a (13c), 13b (13
The widths Wa and Wb in d) are both set to Wa = 0.5 to 3.0 × Wc and Wb = 0.5 to 3.0 × Wc with respect to the electrode width Wc. Also, the recesses 13a (13c), 13b
The dimensions of the portions Ha and Hb of (13d) are set to be Ha = 1.0 to 3.0 × Wa Hb = 1.0 to 3.0 × Wb. Also, the recesses 13a (13c), 13b
The widths La and Lb of (13d) are set to La = 0.1 to 1.0 × Wc and Lb = 0.1 to 1.0 × Wc with respect to the electrode width Wc. Also, the recesses 13a (13c), 13b
The dimensions of the pitches Ma and Mb of (13d) are set to be Ma = 0.1 to 0.5 × La Mb = 0.1 to 0.5 × Lb. The laser gas is applied to the electrode 7 as in FIG.
Flows from left to right between a and 7b.

In this way, in FIG. 1, the reflected shock waves 10c and 10d shown in FIG. 4 are respectively 10e and 10f.
And the shock waves in the recesses 13a and 13b are reduced,
Or relax. As a result, the density of the laser gas between the cathode 7a and the anode 7b of the discharge electrode is reduced and the discharge becomes stable. Regarding the stability of the discharge, the laser light oscillated by exciting the laser gas by this discharge is also stabilized. Recess 1
3a (13c) and 13b (13d) are an anode 7b and a cathode 7.
Even if it is provided only on one of the sides a, the same effect can be obtained.

[0012]

As described above, according to the gas laser oscillating device of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the reflected shock wave remaining of the shock wave generated between the discharge electrodes, thereby reducing the density of the laser gas and stabilizing it. A laser beam can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a discharge unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an anode section in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a conventional gas laser oscillator.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the discharge part of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Airtight container, 3 ... Laser gas, 4 ... Blower, 5a, 5b ... Cooler, 7a, 7b ... Discharge electrode.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A gas laser main body in which a laser gas is enclosed, an air blower for circulating the laser gas inside the gas laser main body, a cooling means for cooling the circulated laser gas, and a discharge provided in a circulation flow path of the laser gas. A pair of discharge electrodes consisting of an anode and a cathode buried in the substrate leaving a portion to be performed, a contraction flow path provided immediately before the laser gas inlet to the discharge electrode, and a laser gas outlet from the discharge electrode. A gas laser oscillator comprising: a discharge part having an enlarged path provided in the gas laser oscillator, wherein a plurality of cavities are provided on a wall surface near the discharge electrode along the flow direction of the laser gas.