Spectra-physics Gmbh

Mike F Miller

Lee R Carlson

Steve Sheng

Mike Green

Rudy Nissen

Kim M Gunther

There is disclosed herein several gas resupply valves for replenishment of lost gas in gas lasers in general and argon ion lasers in particular. The first embodiment uses a valve which controls flow of gas into a metering volume. The metering volume has an aperture therein which is microscopically small and which has a diffusion constant for gas moving through the aperture which is less than the time the valve is held open. The second embodiment uses the same general structure, but separates the soft sealing member of the valve from the solenoid core which moves to open and close the valve. The soft sealing member is attached to the valve body and supported above a valve seat surrounding the opening of the metering volume. The third embodiment uses a thin diaphragm which overlies a flat surface of the valve body in which are formed an input port and an output port. A solenoid applies pressure against the diaphragm to cause it to flatten against the flat surface thereby sealing the valve.

Gas resupply valve with microscopic aperture and with sealing member

Valve with metal diaphragm and flat surface valve body

Gas resupply valve with microscopic aperture for gas lasers

A single unitary structure for an ion laser in which the plasma tube with a surrounding electromagnet is integrated with the laser resonator tube. Cooling channels are formed by a pair of annular channels between the resonator tube, electromagnet and plasma tube. A helical, flow path in the annular channels provides uniform cooling around the resonator tube.

Internal resonator water cooled ion laser

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Mike F Miller