公开(公告)号：US06496528B2

公开(公告)日：2002-12-17

申请号：US09895664

申请日：2001-06-29

申请人： Clay C. Titus ,  William G. Hulburd ,  Raymond F. Cybulski ,  John M. Algots ,  Michael S. Lysik

发明人： Clay C. Titus ,  William G. Hulburd ,  Raymond F. Cybulski ,  John M. Algots ,  Michael S. Lysik

IPC分类号： H01S308

CPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/034 ,  H01S3/0401 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/0812 ,  H01S3/086 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： A grating based line narrowing device for line narrowing lasers producing high energy laser beams. Techniques are provided for minimizing adverse effects of heat produced by the laser beam inside the line narrowing device. A flexural grating mount is provided which virtually eliminates stress on the grating caused by differential thermal expansion between the grating and the LNP housing structure. In a preferred embodiment the grating which is comprised of a very thin lined aluminum surface on a thick ultra low expansion glass substrate is attached to an aluminum housing structure using a flexural grating mount. At least one flexure joint is provided in the grating mount which permits thermal expansion and contraction of the aluminum housing without producing undesirable mechanical stresses in the glass substrate of the grating. In some embodiments the mount comprises a metal plate and the flexure joint is a H-Flex joint which is machined into the metal plate. In another embodiment two H-Flex joints are provided. In other embodiments, the flexure joint is a dovetail joint permitting one end of the mount to slip relative to the other. In another preferred embodiments a stream of gas is directed across the face of the grating. In other embodiments the effect of a hot gas layer on the face of the grating is reduced with the use of helium as a purge gas and in other embodiments the purge gas pressure is reduced to reduce the optical effects of the hot gas layer.

摘要翻译： 用于生产高能量激光束的线窄激光器的基于光栅的线窄化装置。 提供了用于最小化由线束变窄装置内部的激光束产生的热的不利影响的技术。提供了一种弯曲光栅安装件，其实际上消除了由光栅和LNP壳体结构之间的差分热膨胀引起的对光栅的应力。 在优选实施例中，由厚的超低膨胀玻璃基板上的非常薄的衬里的铝表面组成的光栅使用弯曲光栅安装件附接到铝外壳结构。 在光栅安装件中提供至少一个弯曲接头，其允许铝外壳的热膨胀和收缩，而不会在光栅的玻璃基板中产生不期望的机械应力。 在一些实施例中，安装件包括金属板，并且挠曲接头是被加工成金属板的H-Flex接头。 在另一个实施例中，提供了两个H-Flex接头。 在其它实施例中，挠曲接头是燕尾接头，允许安装座的一端相对于另一端滑动。在另一优选实施例中，气流被引导穿过光栅的表面。 在其他实施例中，使用氦气作为净化气体来减少热气体层在光栅表面上的影响，并且在其它实施例中，减少吹扫气体压力以减少热气体层的光学效应。