JPH0682880B2 - Laser light output control method of laser oscillator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a laser light output control system of an oscillator, and particularly to efficiently amplify and output laser light from a laser oscillator having a multi-stage series. The present invention relates to a laser light output control method for a laser oscillator.

(Prior Art) A laser oscillation device that outputs a large output laser beam has a multi-stage arrangement configuration in which a plurality of laser oscillators are connected in series, a discharge circuit is provided for each laser oscillator, and each discharge circuit is sequentially driven. However, the laser light output from the first-stage laser oscillator is amplified stepwise by each laser oscillator and output. At this time, in order to efficiently amplify the laser light from the previous stage, each discharge circuit needs to output a discharge pulse at a proper timing to control the operation of the corresponding laser oscillator.

Therefore, under such a request, each trigger pulse is sequentially applied to the discharge circuit with a predetermined time difference to perform the discharge operation. In reality, however, the circuit characteristic of each discharge circuit causes a temporal fluctuation. In many cases, jitter called so-called phase variation, drift over time with an overall lead or lag, and the like, and the discharge pulse output time of each discharge circuit fluctuates from moment to moment. If the discharge time fluctuates, the amplification of the laser beam received from the previous stage is reduced or absorbed, and as a result, the output of the laser beam from the final stage laser oscillator is significantly reduced. Therefore, in order to perform optimum amplification in each laser oscillator, it is necessary to adjust the input timing of the trigger pulse input to the discharge circuit.

Therefore, in the conventional laser light output control method, the laser output state of each laser oscillator is viewed with a synchroscope while manually inputting the trigger pulse, and the trigger pulse input timing that optimizes the laser output is found. ing.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, the above laser light output control method is
Since the optimum timing is found while manually adjusting the input timing of the trigger pulse, the adjustment work requires a lot of time and labor, and the discharge timing cannot be corrected in a timely manner. When fluctuates from moment to moment, there is a problem that cannot be dealt with sufficiently.

The present invention has been made to improve the above-described problems, and it is possible to adjust the pulse output timing quickly and reliably without the need for human intervention for the discharge characteristics that change from moment to moment, and the adjustment time associated therewith is shortened. It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser light output control system for a laser oscillation device, which can achieve high efficiency and amplification, can output laser light with high efficiency, and can easily expand the device.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In the laser light output control method for a laser oscillator according to the present invention, a plurality of laser oscillators each having a discharge circuit are serially connected, and a discharge generated from these discharge circuits is generated. In a laser oscillator that sequentially amplifies laser light output from the first-stage laser oscillator by each laser oscillator in the latter stage and outputs the pulse, the pulse of the discharge pulse output from the discharge circuit based on the predetermined pulse setting time difference data. Output pulse timing measuring means for measuring the output time difference, and obtain the variation of the discharge characteristics in each discharge circuit from the pulse output time difference measured by the output pulse timing measuring means, and the pulse setting time difference data based on this variation. Change the trigger pulse to be input to the discharge circuit based on this changed data. It is obtained by an input pulse timing control means for varying the force timing.

(Operation) Therefore, the present invention, by using the above means,
A discharge pulse is output from each discharge circuit based on predetermined pulse setting time difference data. The output pulse timing measuring means measures the pulse output time difference between the discharge pulses of two discharge circuits adjacent to each other, and this pulse output time difference. Is not equal to the pulse setting time difference, the input pulse timing control means corrects the pulse setting time difference by the time corresponding to the deviation, and by using this corrected pulse setting time difference for the next input pulse timing,
The operation of each laser oscillator is always controlled in an optimum state.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall structure of a laser oscillating apparatus according to the present invention method, a plurality of laser oscillators 11 _1, 11
₂ and 11 ₃ are serially connected, and the first stage laser oscillator 11 ₁
The laser light output from the subsequent stage of the laser oscillator 11 _2, 11 ₃
Are sequentially amplified by and output. These laser oscillators 11 ₁
Discharge circuits 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ and 12 ₃ are respectively connected to the input sides of ~ 11 ₃ and receive laser pulses from the discharge circuits 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ and 12 ₃ and receive laser oscillators 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ and 11 3. ₃ outputs a laser beam.

Reference numeral 20 is a timing measurement control unit, which is program data for executing predetermined data processing, pulse setting time difference data between adjacent discharge circuits 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ , 12 ₃ in advance, measurement data and calculation result data. And the like, and a discharge pulse 12 ₁ and 12 for outputting a trigger pulse at a timing based on the pulse setting time difference data of the memory 21.
_2, 12 ₃ the input pulse timing control system 22 which operates a discharge circuit 12 by a trigger pulse of the timing control system 22
Output pulse timing measuring system 23 for measuring the output pulse time difference of the discharge pulse output from ₁ , 12, ₂ and 12 ₃ , the memory
Perform predetermined processing based on 21 program data,
Further, it is configured by a controller 24 or the like that controls the respective constituent elements that obtain the variation in the discharge characteristic of the discharge circuit from the output pulse time difference measured by the timing measurement system 23 and correct the pulse setting time difference data by this variation. There is.

Next, regarding the operation of the apparatus configured as described above,
This will be described with reference to the drawings and FIG. First, when the controller 24 receives an operation start command, it sends a trigger pulse S1 ₁ to the discharge circuit 12 ₁ via the input pulse timing control system 22. Here, the discharge circuit 12 ₁ performs a discharge operation and outputs a discharge pulse S2 ₁ to control the operation of the first-stage laser oscillator 11 ₁ . As a result, laser light having a predetermined energy is output from the laser oscillator 11 ₁ .

Meanwhile, the controller 24 after transmitting a trigger pulse through the input pulse timing control system 22 to the discharge circuit 12 _1, two example discharge circuit adjacent from the memory 21
The input pulse set time difference data Td for optimally discharging 12 ₁ and 12 ₂ is read out, and the trigger pulse S1 ₂ is supplied to the next discharge circuit 12 ₂ via the timing control system 22 based on this time difference data Td. Therefore, when the discharge circuit 12 ₂ receiving the trigger pulse S1 ₂ similarly outputs the discharge pulse S2 ₂ , the laser oscillator 11 _{2 at the} next stage operates to amplify and output the laser light from the laser oscillator 11 _1. .

Then, when a trigger pulse is output based on the input pulse set time difference data Td as described above, each discharge circuit
Since 12 ₁ and 12 ₂ output the discharge pulses S2 ₁ and S2 ₂ with a certain time variation based on the discharge characteristics, the output pulse timing measurement system 23 determines the output pulse time difference Tl of both discharge pulses S2 ₁ and S2 _2. taking measurement. Originally, this time difference Tl should be equal to the input pulse set time difference data Td, but each discharge circuit 12
_When jitter or drift occurs in ₁ and 12 ₂ , Tl = Td
Does not mean That is, the timing measuring system 22 measures the output pulse time difference of (Tl + Δt) as shown in FIG. Therefore, the controller 24 obtains the fluctuation amount Δt from this (Tl + Δt) and corrects the input pulse setting time difference data Td of the memory 21 to (Td−Δt). As a result, even if there are variations in the discharge pulse intervals between the discharge circuits 12 ₁ and 12 ₂ , the variations can be absorbed and the laser oscillators 11 ₂ and 11 ₃ can always be controlled to operate in an optimum state. It should be noted that the subsequent discharge circuits 12 ₂ -12 ₃ , ... Are also subjected to a series of processes in the same manner as described above to perform automatic and timely timing control.

Therefore, according to the configuration of the above embodiment, each of the discharge circuits 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ , based on the predetermined input pulse set time difference.
The output pulse time difference of the discharge pulse from the adjacent discharge circuit is measured while operating the ... And the input pulse set time difference is changed based on the variation of this time difference. Therefore, each discharge circuit 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ , 12 ₃ jitter and drift occurs always optimal timing while correcting the input pulse set time difference data sequentially also can output discharge pulse. This means that the laser light output from the first-stage laser oscillator 11 ₁ can be amplified and output at the subsequent laser oscillators 11 ₂ and 11 ₃ with good timing, and the adjustment time can be greatly shortened compared to the conventional case. Since it does not require manpower, it also greatly contributes to labor saving. Moreover, since the output pulse time difference between the discharge pulses of the two adjacent discharge circuits is measured and the input pulse set time difference data is corrected, the number of laser oscillators can be increased or decreased as appropriate, resulting in expandability and flexibility. A wealth of equipment can be realized.

In the above embodiment, three laser oscillators 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ , 11 are used.
₃ is used, may be two or four or more, multi-stage high power laser oscillator as shown in FIG. 4 30 _1, 30
Each of the timing measurement control units 20 ₁ , 20 ₂ , ..., 20n for controlling ₂ , ..., 30n forms a network with the host computer 31, and the host computer 31 controls the timing measurement control unit 2
Multiple high-power laser oscillators 30 communicating with 0, ...
The timing of ₁ , 30 ₂ , ..., 30n may be collectively controlled. In addition, the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the output pulse time difference of the discharge pulse of each discharge circuit is measured, and the preset input pulse output time difference is changed based on the output pulse time difference to change the discharge circuit. Since the operation is controlled, the timing adjustment can be performed quickly without human intervention, and the adjustment time and labor required therefor can be shortened. Therefore, the laser light can be amplified efficiently and stably. It is possible to provide a laser light output control method for a laser oscillation device that is capable of outputting light and is highly expandable and easy to maintain.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 3 are shown for explaining the method of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a laser oscillator device to which the method of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a discharge circuit and a laser oscillator. FIG. 3 is a timing diagram of trigger and discharge pulses, which are input / output pulses of each discharge circuit, and FIG.
The figure is a system configuration diagram for explaining another embodiment in which timing control is performed by network communication. 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ , 11 ₃ ...... Laser oscillator, 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ , 12 ₃ ...... Discharge circuit, 20 ...... Control unit, 21 ...... Memory, 22 ...... Input pulse timing control system, 23 ...... Output Pulse timing measurement system, 24 ... Controller.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of laser oscillators each having a discharge circuit are serially connected, and a laser pulse output from a laser oscillator at a first stage is sequentially amplified by a laser pulse at a subsequent stage by a discharge pulse generated from these discharge circuits. In a laser oscillating device for outputting, an output pulse timing measuring means for measuring a pulse output time difference of a discharge pulse output from a discharge circuit based on predetermined pulse setting time difference data, and a pulse measured by the output pulse timing measuring means. The variation of the discharge characteristics in each discharge circuit is obtained from the output time difference and the pulse setting time difference data is changed based on this variation,
A laser light output control system for a laser oscillator, comprising: input pulse timing control means for varying an input timing of a trigger pulse input to the discharge circuit based on the change data.