JPH0626263B2 - High-speed axial flow gas laser oscillator - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a gas laser oscillator, and more specifically, it relates to a high-speed axial flow type in which the direction of laser gas flow and the direction of laser beam are the same. The present invention relates to a gas laser oscillator.

[Technical background of the invention] In a gas laser oscillator, a portion that performs a laser amplifying action is a portion where plasma in a laser tube is generated.
It is known that the laser output can be increased by increasing the length of the laser tube in order to increase this portion. Therefore, in order to increase the laser output, it is sufficient to make the laser tube of the gas laser oscillator longer. However, making the laser tube too long has problems in terms of space and technology. Therefore, in general,
A plurality of laser tubes are arranged in parallel with each other, and a reflecting mirror is arranged at a connecting portion of each laser tube, so that the laser tube as a whole is elongated.

Further, in a gas laser oscillator, it is known that the population inversion is promoted by cooling the laser gas and the oscillation efficiency of the laser is improved. Therefore, in general,
The laser tube is cooled, or the laser gas cooled in the heat exchanger is caused to flow into the laser tube at high speed, and the laser gas heated by the discharge is immediately returned to the heat exchanger to be cooled again. ing. Further, in order to improve the efficiency of the gas laser oscillator, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of injection power.

[Problems of Background Art] A conventional high-speed axial-flow gas laser oscillator is equipped with a cooling device or a heat exchanger and a blower to cool and circulate the laser gas in a plurality of laser tubes. The laser gas cooled in the vessel or the like is introduced into the laser tube at high speed by the blower, and is recirculated from the laser tube to the heat exchanger or the like again. However, in the conventional gas laser oscillator, the length of the gas return path for returning the laser gas from the plurality of laser tubes to the heat exchanger etc. is not constant. There is a problem in that the flow rates of the laser gas flowing through the laser tubes are different, and the temperature rise of the laser gas is different in each laser tube.

That is, in a laser tube in which the flow rate of the laser gas is low, the temperature of the laser gas is higher than in other laser tubes, the ratio of population inversion is reduced, the laser output is reduced, and the laser beam mode is also reduced. Is affected. Therefore, the difference in the flow rate of the laser gas flowing through the plurality of laser tubes causes a reduction in the overall output of the gas laser oscillator and an output variation.

Further, the laser gas that is circulated from the plurality of laser tubes in the gas laser oscillator to the heat exchanger or the like is ionized by the discharge in the laser tubes and is in a kind of plasma state. Therefore, the laser gas acts as an electric conductor, and a wasteful discharge that does not contribute to the pumping of the laser gas may be performed between the cathode of the laser tube and the heat exchanger. Has become a big loss. Further, the temperature of the laser gas is further increased by the above discharge, and a larger load is applied to the heat exchanger and the like.

Further, in the conventional gas laser oscillator, it is extremely difficult to attach and detach the respective cathodes arranged in the plurality of laser tubes. That is, the cathode is required to have a ring shape depending on the conditions such as the stable discharge in the laser tube and the state of the flow of the laser gas. Further, in order to reduce the contact resistance between the cathode and the cathode holder, the cathode is shrink-fitted to the cathode holder fitted to the laser tube. Therefore, there is a problem that the laser tube must be displaced in the axial direction because the cathode holder and the cathode holder must be removed from the laser tube when the cathode is replaced.

Further, in the conventional gas laser oscillator, since the support plate supporting the laser tube is fixed to the base, there is a problem that it is difficult to cope with thermal deformation of the support plate and the like.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the conventional problems as described above, and an object thereof is to provide a high-speed axial flow type gas laser oscillator in which the conventional problems are improved.

[Summary of the Invention] In order to achieve the above object, in the laser oscillator according to the present invention, a support plate supporting a plurality of laser tubes is provided so as to be capable of fine movement corresponding to expansion and contraction of a tie rod or the like. . Further, the cathode in each laser tube is detachably sandwiched and fixed from both sides by a holder.

Other objects, effects and the like of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Embodiment of the Invention] Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 generally indicates a general laser processing machine, which includes a laser oscillator 3. The laser oscillator 3 is configured to oscillate a laser beam LB toward the laser processing machine 1, and is mounted on the rear side of the laser processing machine 1. Although FIG. 1 exemplifies a case where the laser oscillator 3 is mounted on the laser processing machine 1, the laser oscillator 3 is not limited to the laser processing machine and can be adopted in other appropriate devices.

The laser processing apparatus 1 is composed of a base 5, a post 7 standing upright from the base 5, and an overhead beam 9 supported above the base 5 horizontally and in a cantilevered manner on the post 7. A work table 11 is provided on the base 5, and a large number of slide balls horizontally supporting a sheet-like work piece W to be processed are rotatably mounted on the upper surface of the work table 11. A processing head assembly 13 is provided at the tip of the overhead beam 9.
The processing head assembly 13 is internally provided with a mirror assembly 15 and a condenser lens 17. The mirror assembly 15 is configured to reflect the laser beam LB emitted from the laser oscillator 3 toward the workpiece W. The condenser lens 17 condenses the laser beam LB and is arranged so as to impinge the laser beam LB on the workpiece W together with an assist gas such as oxygen.
Therefore, the laser processing machine 1 having the above-described configuration is configured to receive the laser beam LB from the laser oscillator 3 and to apply the laser beam LB to the workpiece W via the condenser lens 17 in the processing head assembly 13. .

In order to move and position the workpiece W to be processed, the laser beam machine 1 is provided with a first carriage 19 which is horizontally movable, and which holds a plurality of clamping devices 23 for clamping the workpiece W. Two carriages 21 are provided. The first carriage 19 is movably supported by a pair of rails 25 mounted on both upper sides of the base 5 in parallel with each other, and can move toward and away from the processing area directly below the processing head assembly 13 during driving. . The second carriage 21 holding the clamp device 23 is slidably supported on the first carriage 19 and is horizontally movable by driving in a direction orthogonal to the rail 25. Therefore, the workpiece W gripped by the clamp device 23 can be transferred below the processing head assembly 13 on the work table 11 by the movement of the first and second carriages 19 and 21.

In the above configuration, the workpiece W is processed by the laser beam LB by positioning the workpiece W on the work table 11 directly below the processing head assembly 13 by the first and second carriages 19 and 21. Of course, the laser beam LB emitted by the laser oscillator 3
Are provided to the working head assembly 13 and are directed downward by the mirror assembly 15 as indicated by the arrow. Then, after being condensed by the condenser lens 17, it is applied to the workpiece W together with an assist gas such as oxygen.

Referring to FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, the laser oscillator 3 is
From a support frame 27 that supports the whole, a laser oscillation unit 29 supported on the support frame 27, an adjustment attachment unit 31 and the like used for adjusting the mirror in the laser oscillation unit 29 and adjusting the optical system of the laser processing machine 1. Become. That is,
The support pedestal 27 is formed by framing a plurality of square pipe materials in a rectangular shape, and the laser oscillation unit 29 is supported by box-shaped support pedestals 33A and 33B erected on both right and left sides of the support pedestal 27. There is. The adjustment attachment part 31 is provided on the output side of the laser oscillating part 29 so that one support base 33 is provided as appropriate.
It is attached to A.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, in particular, in order to protect the entire laser oscillator 3, the support base 27 is provided with a protective cover 35 that covers the entire laser oscillator 29, the adjustment attachment 31, and the like. The front cover 35F and the rear cover 35R of the protective cover 35 are pivotally supported to the upper cover 35U via hinges 37 so as to be openable and closable so that the laser oscillator 29, the adjustment attachment 31 and the like can be easily maintained and managed. There is. In addition, the protective cover 3
5. In order to cool the inside, an auxiliary heat exchanger 39 equipped with a blower fan is attached to a plurality of locations on the front cover 35F and the rear cover 35R, and a transparent window provided with an acrylic plate or the like at an appropriate number of locations. 41 is provided. Therefore, the air in the protective cover 35 is constantly cooled and circulated by the plurality of auxiliary heat exchangers 39, and the inside can be observed through the transparent window 41.

As is apparent from FIG. ₂ , in order to cool the laser gas that is a mixed gas of He, N ₂ , and CO ₂ that is circulated from the laser oscillation unit 29, the central portion of the support frame 27 is relatively large. A main heat exchanger 43 is provided. The main heat exchanger 43 is provided with a bent pipe into which a coolant such as cooling water flows and a large number of cooling fans. The bottom plate 45 of the main heat exchanger 43 has a hinge pin 47 so that the main heat exchanger 43 can be easily maintained.
It is pivotally attached to the support base 27 via the so as to be opened and closed downward. Therefore, maintenance management of the main heat exchanger 43 is easy.

The laser oscillating unit 29 is formed by arranging a plurality of laser tubes 49A and 49B for resonance and amplification of pumping light in parallel. Each of the laser tubes 49A and 49B extends in the left-right direction, and both ends thereof. Are supported by vertical support plates 51A, 51B supported by the support bases 33A, 33B. The support plates 51A and 51B are laser tubes 49.
Each of the support plates 51A and 51B is integrally connected by a plurality of tie rods 53 arranged vertically, respectively.

Support plate 5 due to temperature change in the protective cover 35
In order to cope with thermal deformation of 1A, 51B, tie rod 53, etc., the support plates 51A, 51B have support bases 33A, 3
It can be moved slightly with respect to 3B. That is,
As best shown in FIG. 6, an adjusting screw 55, which is vertically installed by screwing near one end of one supporting plate 51A, is rotatably and tiltably supported by a supporting base 33A through a spherical seat device 57. . The vicinity of the other end of the support plate 51A is movably supported by a guide member 59 provided on the support base 33A via a slide block 61 in the longitudinal direction of the support plate 51A. The middle portion of the support plate 51A and the support base 33A are connected by a thin stud bolt 63 having flexibility. In addition, the other support plate 51B, as shown in FIG.
The slide block 6 is attached to the guide member 65 fixed on 3B.
It is supported so as to be movable in the left-right direction via 7.

With the above configuration, the support plate 51B absorbs the thermal deformation of the tie rod 53 in the longitudinal direction by fine movement in the same direction, and the thermal deformation of the support plate 51A in the longitudinal direction and the slight rotation as a whole. Etc. are spherical seat devices 57
It can be absorbed by the portion such as the guide member 59. Therefore,
The support plates 51A and 51B supporting the both ends of the laser tubes 49A and 49B do not undergo large thermal deformation, and the accuracy is further improved.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 to 5, each laser tube 49A,
In order to supply the laser gas into 49B, each laser tube 4
9A and 49B are connected to a gas circulation drive device 69,
In addition, in order to cool the laser gas heated by the discharge in the laser tubes 49A, 49B,
9B is connected to the main heat exchanger 43. That is,
The gas circulation drive device 69 sucks the cooled laser gas in the main heat exchanger 43 and supplies it to the laser tubes 49A and 49B, and is composed of, for example, a roots blower.
It is supported on the upper surface of the main heat exchanger 43 via a plurality of anti-vibration rubbers 71.

The upper part of the gas circulation drive device 69 removes heat given to the laser gas by the gas circulation drive device 69 and more reliably cools the laser gas supplied to the laser tubes 49A and 49B. A exchanger 73 is provided. The sub heat exchanger 73 is made of, for example, a water-cooled heat exchanger and is formed in a box shape. A plurality of connecting pipes 75 are vertically mounted on the upper surface of the sub heat exchanger 73, and when the number of laser pipes is increased. A disk-shaped lid 77 is provided on a plurality of holes provided so as to correspond to each other. Further, the bases of a plurality of communication tubes 79 are horizontally connected to both side surfaces of the sub heat exchanger 73, and lids 81 are attached to the plurality of holes so as to cope with the increase in the number of laser tubes. The leading end of each of the communication tubes 79 is connected to each of the laser tubes 49A, 4A.
9B extends near both end portions, and the vicinity of the tip end portion thereof is supported by a support block 85 attached to the support bases 33A and 33B via a vibration-proof rubber 83. Therefore, the vibration of the gas circulation drive device 69 causes the support frame 27 and the support frame 33.
It is not transmitted to A and 33B.

In order to supply the laser gas sent from the gas circulation drive device 69 to the laser tubes 49A and 49B, the connecting tubes 75 are connected near the central portions of the laser tubes 49A and 49B, and the connecting tubes 79 are connected to each other. Connection pipe 8 with the tip vertically installed
The laser tubes 49A and 49B are connected to each other via 7 in the vicinity of both ends. More specifically, each of the laser tubes 49A, 49
B is 3 in the central tubular body 89 and the end tubular bodies 91 and 93 on both sides.
The connecting pipe 75 is connected to the central pipe body 89, and the communication pipe 79 is connected to the end pipe bodies 91 and 93 via a cylindrical flexible joint member 95 made of silicon rubber or the like. There is. Therefore, the gas circulation drive device 69
Vibrations of the laser tubes 49A and 49B are not transmitted to the laser tubes 49A and 49B.
It is possible to absorb minute positional deviations in all directions such as A and 49B.

In order to generate an electric discharge in the laser tubes 49A, 49B, a pair of anodes and cathodes are arranged at a plurality of locations in the laser tubes 49A, 49B, and the lasers in the laser tubes 49A, 49B are heated by the electric discharge. In order to cool the gas, the laser tubes 49A and 49B are connected to the main heat exchanger 43.
Connected to. That is, in each of the joint members 95, anodes are respectively arranged as will be described later, and between the central tube body 89 and the end tube bodies 91 and 93 on both sides of the laser tubes 49A and 49B, A gas return path 97 having a lower end connected to the main heat exchanger 43 via a bellows and an upper end formed in a T shape is connected via a plurality of cathode assemblies 99.
Therefore, from the gas circulation drive device 69 to the auxiliary heat exchanger 73
The laser gas supplied to the laser tubes 49A and 49B through the gas flows into the main heat exchanger 43 through the gas return path 97, is cooled in the part, and is then sucked into the gas circulation drive device 69 to generate the auxiliary heat exchange. It is cooled more surely in the container 73 and supplied again to the laser tubes 49A and 49B.

Referring to FIG. 7, the end portions of the end tube bodies 91 of the laser tubes 49A and 49B are supported by the support plate 51A via the cylindrical end holder 101, and the vicinity of the end portions is downward. A protruding cylindrical portion 91P is formed. The joint member 95 is fitted in the protruding portion 91P, and the cylindrical anode holder 105 holding the needle-shaped anode 103 is fitted in the protruding portion 91P. An insulating protective cylinder 107 surrounding the anode 103 is screwed to the anode holder 105, and the upper end of the anode 103 is exposed to the upper end of the protective cylinder 107. An annular spring seat 109 is attached to the upper end of the connecting pipe 87 which is fitted into the joint member 95 from below facing the protruding portion 91P, and a conductive spring is provided between the spring seat 109 and the anode holder 105. The coil 111 is mounted.

With the above configuration, it is possible to absorb the positional deviation between the end pipe body 91 and the connection pipe 87, and the gas circulation drive device 69.
Is not transmitted to the laser tubes 49A and 49B.

The end tube 93 of the laser tubes 49A and 49B
Has the same structure as the end tube 91,
1B, and each joint member 95
Since the connection structure of the part is the same as the structure described above, the description of each part is omitted.

As is apparent from FIGS. 2 to 5 again referred to, the cathode assembly 99 includes the left and right support plates 51A and 51B.
Is supported by a holder plate 113 supported by a tie rod 53 connected to the. That is, the holder plate 1
A plurality of support holes 11 are provided at 13 to accommodate the increase in the number of laser tubes.
3H is provided, and the cathode assembly 99 is fitted and supported in the support hole 113H as much as necessary.

As best shown in FIG. 8, the cathode assembly 99
Is configured so that the ring-shaped cathode 115 can be attached and removed very easily. That is, on both sides of the cathode 115, the end tubes 9 of the laser tubes 49A and 49B are provided.
First holder ring 117 into which 1 is fitted and gas return path 97
The second holder ring 119 in which one end of the upper part of the holder is inserted is arranged, and the cathode 115 and both holder rings 117 and 119 are arranged.
In order to reduce the contact resistance, they are firmly adhered to each other by a plurality of bolts 121 as a fixed member. Further, the O-ring 12 is provided on the side of both holder rings 117 and 119.
A seal ring 125 for holding 3 is attached by a plurality of bolts 127, respectively. Therefore, bolt 1
By removing 27 and 121, the attachment / detachment / replacement of the cathode 115 can be easily performed.

As already clear, in the laser tubes 49A and 49B,
A plurality of discharge areas are provided by the pair of anode 103 and cathode 115, and the laser tube 49 heated by the discharge is provided.
The laser gas in A and 49B is returned to the main heat exchanger 43 through each of the gas return paths 97 described above. Even when the number of laser tubes is increased, each gas return path 97 is arranged so that the flow rate of the laser gas in each laser tube 49A, 49B is substantially uniform.
The lengths of are approximately the same. Further, in order to neutralize the laser gas ionized by the discharge in the laser tubes 49A and 49B, an appropriate catalyst is provided in the middle of each gas feedback device 97. That is, each gas return path 97
The enlarged portion 129 is formed in the middle of the
In 29, for example, a honeycomb-shaped activated alumina catalyst supporting platinum is installed.

With the above structure, the catalyst in each gas return path 97 is heated by the laser gas to improve the efficiency of the catalytic action, and the laser gas passing through the catalyst portion is neutralized by the action of the catalyst and becomes neutral. Flow into the main heat exchanger 43. Therefore, useless discharge that tends to occur between the cathode 115 and the main heat exchanger 43 is suppressed, and the efficiency of injected power is further improved.

An output mirror assembly 131 for resonantly amplifying the excitation light excited by the discharge in the laser tubes 49A and 49B.
And a rear mirror assembly 135 is provided. That is, an output mirror assembly 131 having an output mirror is provided on one end side of the laser tube 49A, and an output detection sensor 133 is appropriately provided and a reflecting mirror is provided on one end side of the laser tube 49B. A rear mirror assembly 135 is provided. Bend mirror assemblies 137 that bend the excitation light by 90 ° are provided opposite to the other ends of the laser tubes 49A and 49B, respectively. The output mirror assembly 131 and the rear mirror assembly 135 are mounted on the support plate 51A via bellows so that their postures can be adjusted, and each bend mirror assembly 137 supports the support plate 51B via bellows.
At the same time, the posture is adjustable, and they are connected to each other via the bellows.

Referring again to FIG. 7, in order to control the attitude of the output mirror assembly 131, the output mirror assembly 131 is provided with an appropriate flange 131F.
Tension springs 143 are respectively stretched between a plurality of adjusting screws 139 penetrating a plurality of points of F and a plurality of adjusting screws 141 penetrating the support plate 51A. Further, micrometers 145 are attached to the flange 131 at a plurality of positions.
Each of the spindles 145S is in contact with a plurality of pedestal blocks 147 screwed and fixed to the support plate 51A.

With the above configuration, the output mirror assembly 131 is always urged toward the support plate 51A by the action of the plurality of tension springs 143, and each spindle 145S of each micrometer 145 causes each pedestal block 14 to move.
7, the posture of the output mirror assembly 131 can be adjusted by appropriately operating each micrometer 145, and the angle of the mirror provided inside can be finely adjusted.

The rear mirror assembly 135 and the bend mirror assembly 137 are mounted on the support plates 51A and 51B with the same structure as the mounting structure of the output mirror assembly 131. The mounting positions are interchangeable so that the mounting positions can be arbitrarily changed according to the increase of

Referring again to FIGS. 2 to 4, the attachment part 31 is composed of a He—Ne laser oscillator 149, a prism device 151, a beam damper 153 and the like. H
The e-Ne laser oscillator 149 includes the laser oscillation unit 29.
Output mirror assembly 131, rear mirror assembly 1 in FIG.
35 and the bend mirror assembly 137, etc. are used for mirror adjustment and adjustment of the optical system in the laser processing machine 1. As is clear from FIG. 2, the bracket is mounted vertically on the support bracket 155 attached to the support base 33A. I am doing it. The prism device 151 has a function of selectively bending the laser beam from the He—Ne laser oscillator 149 into the laser tubes 49A and 49B in the laser oscillation unit 29 or toward the laser processing machine 1 in the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, the laser beam from the He-Ne laser oscillator 149 and the laser beam LB from the laser oscillation unit 29 are arranged so as to be movable back and forth with respect to the intersection position. The beam damper 1
53 is the output mirror assembly 13 in the laser oscillator 29.
The laser beam LB outputted from the laser beam No. 1 can be blocked, and it is provided between the output mirror assembly 131 and the prism device 151 so as to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the path of the laser beam LB.

[Effects of the Invention] As can be understood from the above description of the embodiments, the gist of the present invention is as set forth in the appended claims. In the first invention, one end side of the laser tubes 49A, 49B is provided. One end side of one of the support plates 51A that supports the lens is swingably supported through the spherical seat device 57, and the other end side is provided so as to be finely movable in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the laser tubes 49A and 49B. is there. And the laser tube 4
The other support plate 5 supporting the other ends of 9A and 49B
1B is provided so that it can be finely moved in the longitudinal direction of the laser tubes 49A and 49B.

Therefore, the thermal deformation of the laser tubes 49A and 49B in the longitudinal direction can be absorbed by the other support plate 51B slightly moving in the same direction, and the thermal deformation of the supporting plate 51A in the longitudinal direction and the slight rotation as a whole. Is a spherical seat device 57
Of the laser tubes 49A and 49B and the support plates 51A and 51B that support the laser tubes 49A and 49B by fine movement in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the laser tubes 49A and 49B.
Laser tube 4 is always accurate with respect to the overall thermal deformation of
It supports 9A and 49B.

Further, in the second invention, the laser tubes 49A and 49B
And the gas return path 97 are connected by a cathode assembly 99. This cathode assembly 99 is a laser tube 49.
A fixture is provided between the first holder ring 117 in which the ends of A and 49B are relatively movably fitted and the second holder ring 119 in which the end of the gas return path 97 is relatively movably fitted. The ring-shaped cathode 115 is clamped so as to be removable and replaceable via the.

Therefore, according to the above configuration, by loosening the fixing tool and releasing the clamping pressure of the cathode 115 by the first and second rings 117 and 119, the cathode 115 is moved in the direction orthogonal to the laser tubes 49A and 49B. It can be easily attached and detached and replaced. In other words, it is not necessary to disassemble the cathode 115 in a large scale at the time of replacement, and the replacement is easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a laser processing machine provided with a laser oscillator according to the present invention. 2 is a front view of the laser oscillator according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same as above, FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line VV in FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 2, FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 3, and FIG. 8 is shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII. 43 ... Main heat exchanger, 49A, 49B ... Laser tube 69 ... Gas circulation drive device 97 ... Gas return path

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location 7454-4M H01S 3/03 B (56) Reference JP-A-54-78098 (JP, A) Special features JP-A-55-62790 (JP, A) JP-A-56-81988 (JP, A) JP-A-56-51885 (JP, A) JP-A-58-102582 (JP, A) JP-A-56-98885 ( JP, A) JP 58-40353 (JP, B2)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A laser gas from a heat exchanger (43), comprising a heat exchanger (43) for cooling laser gas from a plurality of laser tubes (49A, 49B) arranged in parallel with each other. A gas circulation drive device (69) for circulating the laser tubes (49A, 49B) to the laser tubes (49A, 49B), and one support plate (51A) supporting one end side of each of the laser tubes (49A, 49B) Each laser tube (49
A, 49B) and the other support plate (51B) that supports the other end side of the support plate (33A, 33B) to form a high-speed axial flow gas oscillator, and the one support plate (51A) One end side in the longitudinal direction of the laser tube is provided so as to be swingably supported by the support base (33A) via a spherical seat device (57), and the other end side of the one support plate (51A) is provided in each of the laser tubes. (49A, 49B) is provided so as to be capable of fine movement in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of (49A, 49B), and the other support plate (51B) is provided on the support base (33).
A high-speed axial-flow gas laser oscillator, characterized in that the laser tube (49A, 49B) is supported by B) so as to be finely movable in the longitudinal direction. 2. A heat exchanger (4) for cooling a laser gas.
3), a gas circulation drive device (69) for supplying the laser gas cooled in the heat exchanger (43) to the laser tubes (49A, 49B), and the laser tubes (49A, 49).
A high-speed axial flow type gas laser oscillator comprising a gas circulation path (97) for returning the laser gas in B) to the heat exchanger (43), and the laser tube and the gas return path (97) are connected to each other. The cathode assembly (99) is connected through a cathode holder assembly (99), and the cathode assembly (99) includes a first holder ring (117) in which an end portion of a laser tube is relatively movably fitted and the gas return path ( It is characterized in that a ring-shaped cathode (115) is detachably attached and detached via a fixture between the second holder ring (119) in which the end of (97) is relatively movably fitted. High-speed axial-flow gas laser oscillator.