Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Matsushita Seiko Co., Ltd.

Shigeki Yamane

Doukei Choo

Yoshiaki Takenaka

Hidehiko Karasaki

Keijiro Mori

Tsutomu Sugiyama

Yoshimitsu Matsumoto

Yutaka Iwasaki

Daiji Narita

Kyooya Sakamoto

Masashi Ohnishi

In one discharge tube in which laser gas flows, a plurality of microwave generating units composed of microwave power sources, magnetrons and waveguides are disposed, and each magnetron oscillates intermittently by switching the drive of the microwave power source. A main controller provides a reference clock to a power source unit composed of the plurality of microwave power sources. By this reference clock, adjacent microwave power sources in the power source unit are switched and driven at a predetermined phase difference through a phase shifter. Accordingly, discharge interference in adjacent discharge areas is avoided, so that a stable laser beam output may be obtained.

Microwave excited gas laser oscillator

A gas laser apparatus for generating a laser beam along a light beam axis, comprises, a gas as a laser medium, a dielectric tube through which the gas passes, and which surrounds the light beam axis, a pumping source generating an electric discharge through the gas existing in the dielectric tube to excite the gas so that a laser light is generated from the excited gas, and a gas blower blowing the gas into the dielectric tube, wherein the gas blower forms a circumferential flow direction component of the gas in the dielectric tube.

Gas laser apparatus

A microwave excited gas laser apparatus includes a single unit having at least first, second, third, and fourth waveguides. The first and second waveguides meet at a first intersection. The third and fourth waveguides meet at a second intersection. A discharge tube contains a laser medium gas, and extends through the first and second intersections. Microwaves are radiated into the first, second, third, and fourth waveguides. The discharge tube in the first intersection is exposed to a microwave propagated along the first waveguide and a microwave propagated along the second waveguide. The discharge tube in the second intersection is exposed to a microwave propagated along the third waveguide and a microwave propagated along the fourth waveguide.

Microwave excited gas laser apparatus

A laser apparatus includes an output mirror and a total reflection mirror. A discharge tube is located between the output mirror and the total reflection mirror. The discharge tube contains laser medium gas. A first block connected to a first end of the discharge tube supports the first end of the discharge tube and also the output mirror. A second block connected to a second end of the discharge tube supports the second end of the discharge tube and also the total reflection mirror. A third block connected to an intermediate portion of the discharge tube supports the intermediate portion of the discharge tube. An optical bench supports the first block, the second block, and the third block. A turboblower connected to the third block is supported by the third block. A first passage connects the turboblower and the first block. A second passage connects the turboblower and the second block. The turboblower draws the laser medium gas from the discharge tube via the third block and returns the laser medium gas to the discharge tube via the first passage, the second passage, the first block, and the second block.

Gas laser apparatus with gas circulation arrangement

Carbon dioxide gas is fed in a metallic laser tube extending along an optical axis through a plurality of gas feeding tubes placed outside the optical axis and is taken out from the metallic laser tube by a blower to circulate the carbon dioxide gas, and the carbon dioxide gas held in the metallic laser tube is cooled by a gas cooling element. A pair of microwaves in which electric fields oscillated in different directions are induced are injected from a pair of gas injecting points of the gas feeding tubes close to the ends of the metallic laser tube and are combined in the metallic laser tube. Therefore, the carbon dioxide gas held in the metallic laser tube is uniformly excited by receiving the energy of the combined microwave, light is emitted from the excited carbon dioxide gas, the emitted light is repeatedly reflected along the optical axis by a total reflecting mirror and a partial reflecting mirror placed on both end sides of the metallic laser tube, and the emitted light passes through the partial reflecting mirror. Because the microwaves are injected from the gas injecting points placed outside the optical axis, the emitted light is stable resonated, a velocity of the carbon dioxide gas can be lowered, and a length of the metallic laser tube can be shortened.

Gas laser oscillating apparatus for discharging laser beam by exciting

In a high velocity gas laser oscillator of radio frequency or microwave exciting type, both end parts of the discharge tube are provided with gas flow rectifiers for making an inward flowing whirlwind at the discharge region of the discharge tube by blowing the discharge gas through plural slits located in a plane disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane including axis of the discharge tube, wherein microwave power is applied to the discharge tube so as to define an annular discharge region in the discharge tube.

Gas laser oscillator

A laser resonator includes; an optical oscillator including a discharge tube, and a pair of reflecting mirrors arranged at both ends of the discharge tube while inner surfaces of the mirrors confront each other; electrodes confronting each other with the discharge tube held therebetween; a gas pipe connected to the optical oscillator, and a gas circulating device connected to the gas pipe for circulating laser gas, wherein the laser resonator generates laser light when a voltage impressed to the electrodes invites discharge of the discharge tube while laser gas is circulated in the discharge tube by the gas circulating device. The laser resonator further includes a diffraction grating provided at one outer surface of either of the pair of reflecting mirrors to take out a part of the laser light passing through the reflecting mirror in a direction of a predetermined angle, and a photodetector for detecting an intensity of the laser light, the photodetector being disposed in the direction of the predetermined angle of that part of the taken-out laser light.

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Kobe, Japan

Shigeki Yamane