US 4,232,274 AGranted

Metal vapor laser system

AssigneeKimmon Electric Co., Ltd.

InventorsKatumi Tokudome, Michio Ishikawa, Shuzo Hattori

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Abstract

A metal vapor laser discharge system includes a metal vapor laser and its associated circuit. The metal vapor laser discharge system is provided with a laser vessel which includes a discharge narrow tube filled with ionizable helium gas, the Brewster windows attached to both ends of the laser discharge narrow tube, and cathode and anode electrodes disposed in two branch tubes communicating with the discharge narrow tube. A metal reservoir is provided near the anode electrode and metal such as cadmium (Cd) is placed in the metal receiver. A helium supplemental container is coupled with the laser discharge narrow tube, through a helium passing wall. A high voltage circuit is connected between the anode and cathode electrodes. A heater provided around the metal reservoir is connected to a metal vapor supply circuit which controls current supplied to the heater to maintain the concentration of the ionizable metal vapor in the discharge narrow tube constant in the laser discharge narrow tube. The helium gas pressure in the discharge narrow tube is detected by a pressure detecting element. The output signal of the pressure detecting element is inputted to a helium gas supplemental circuit. The helium gas supplemental circuit controls current fed to a heater around the helium gas supplemental container to maintain constant the helium gas pressure in the discharge narrow tube. A constant current circuit is connected between the anode and cathode electrodes to keep the discharge current constant.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A metal vapor laser discharge system comprising a metal vapor laser discharge means and control means for said metal vapor laser discharge means;

said metal vapor laser discharge means including:
a laser vessel filled with an ionizable helium gas;
anode and cathode electrodes which are disposed in said laser vessel with a space therebetween for forming a discharge path;
a gas pressure detecting element in said laser vessel for detecting the helium gas pressure in said laser vessel and providing an output signal which is a function of the detected helium gas pressure;
a metal reservoir containing metal for supplying an ionizable metal vapor into said laser vessel;
and
a helium gas supplemental container which is coupled with said laser vessel through a helium gas passing wall permitting helium gas to diffuse due to heating and to pass therethrough, and is filled with the helium gas at a higher pressure than that in said laser vessel;
and
said control means for said metal vapor laser discharge means including:
constant current means which is connected between the anode and cathode electrodes and maintains substantially constant the discharge current between the anode and cathode electrodes;
metal heating means provided around said metal reservoir;
metal vapor supply means for controlling said metal heating means in accordance with the discharge voltage between the anode and cathode electrodes to maintain substantially constant the ionized metal vapor in said laser vessel;
and
helium gas supplemental means for controlling the heating means for heating said helium gas passing wall of said helium gas supplemental container in accordance with the output signal from said gas pressure detecting element to maintain substantially constant the helium gas pressure in said laser vessel.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.