Multiple phase-locked loops for high-power rf-power combiners
AssigneeCoherent, Inc.
InventorsDavid P. SCHMELZER, W. Shef ROBOTHAM, JR., Frederick W. HAUER, Joel FONTANELLA
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Abstract
An RF power-supply for driving a carbon dioxide CO2 gas-discharge laser includes a plurality of power-oscillators phase-locked to a common reference oscillator. Outputs of the phase-locked power-oscillators are combined by a power combiner for delivery, via an impedance matching network, to discharge-electrodes of the laser. In one example the powers are analog power-oscillators. In another example, the power-oscillators are digital power-oscillators.
Claims18
Radio frequency (RF) power-supply apparatus for driving a gas-discharge laser, the apparatus comprising:
- a reference oscillator having RF output at a first frequency;
- a plurality of power-oscillators each thereof having an output at a second frequency, and each thereof phase-locked to the output frequency of the reference oscillator;
- and
- a power combiner arranged to combine the outputs of the power oscillators into a single combined output for driving the gas-discharge laser.
Radio frequency (RF) power-supply apparatus for driving a gas-discharge laser, the apparatus comprising:
- a reference oscillator having RF output at a first frequency;
- a plurality of power-oscillators each thereof having an output at a second frequency, and each thereof phase-locked to the output frequency of the reference oscillator;
- a plurality of RF power-amplifiers corresponding in number to the plurality of RF oscillators with each thereof arranged to amplify the output of a corresponding one of the power-oscillators to provide an amplified output of that power oscillator;
- a power combiner arranged to combine the amplified outputs of the power oscillators into a single combined output for driving the gas-discharge laser;
- and
- wherein the RF power amplifiers in the plurality thereof are arranged to be selectively, simultaneously switchable on or off for providing that the single combined output can be in a pulsed form.
A gas laser apparatus comprising:
- a sealed housing containing a laser gas and a pair of discharge electrodes,
- a radio frequency (RF) power-supply connected to the electrodes for generating a gas discharge within the housing, said power supply including:
- a reference oscillator having RF output at a first frequency;
- a plurality of power-oscillators each thereof having an output at a second frequency;
- a power combiner arranged to combine the outputs of the power oscillators into a single combined output and electrically connected to the electrodes wherein each of the outputs of the power-oscillators is phase-locked to the output frequency of the reference oscillator.
The apparatus of 14 claim wherein the one or more stages of amplification include a driver amplifier feeding an even plurality of amplifier modules, with pairs of the modules connected in parallel in a push-pulse mode, and with the push-pull pairs of modules also being connected in parallel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.