JPH02287520A - Laser device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the small-sized, inexpensive laser device with a simple structure for treatment (working) by using a higher harmonic generation member which has a through hole whose diameter is less than the luminous flux diameter of invisible laser beam generated by a laser beam source. CONSTITUTION:The through hole 8 whose diameter is smaller than the luminous flux diameter of the invisible laser beam R1 from the laser beam source 1 is formed in the center part of a higher harmonic generation film 3 which uses a composite material formed by mixing a crystalline high polymer and coloring matter. The optical axis part (b) of the invisible laser beam R1 having high laser intensity passes through the through hole 8 as it is and peripheral parts (a) and (c) of the optical axis which have low laser intensity are transmitted through the higher harmonic generation film 3 to generate and visualize higher harmonics in the visible range to irradiate a body 9 to be irradiated as visible laser beam R2 on the whole through a light guide fiber 5 and optical systems 4 and 6. At this time, the specific position of the irradiated body 9 is irradiated with the visible light with the low laser intensity and the irradiated body 9 can be laser-treated (worked) with the optical axis part (b) of the invisible light with the high laser intensity simultaneously.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention performs laser treatment using laser light,
Or it relates to a laser device for performing laser processing.

(Prior art) Laser light from laser devices used in the medical field includes:
Nd-Yag, CO2 lasers, etc. are often used.

However, since this rod laser has a limited visual range, a guide light is required to actually use it for laser treatment.

Generally, a He-Ne laser that emits visible light is used as the guide light. In addition, a harmonic generation element (Second) that generates harmonics in the visible range from invisible laser light
d l1arsonie Generation),
There has also been proposed a means for providing a visible laser beam on the optical path of an invisible laser beam, thereby generating a visible laser beam and using it as a guide light (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10224/1983).

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, the He-N used as the guide light
The e-laser emits red light with a wavelength of 638.2 μl, which is close to the color of tissues in body cavities or under the epidermis.
Even though it was a guide light, it was very difficult to see. On the other hand, when generating visible laser light by providing a harmonic generation element, a very expensive single crystal element (L i N
b 03-lithium niobate, KTP, KDP) is required, and an optical path for the guide light is required, making the entire laser device complicated and expensive.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to generate visible laser light with a very simplified device using a harmonic generation member that is inexpensive and easy to handle. The object of the present invention is to provide a small, simple, and inexpensive laser device.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] In order to achieve the above object, the laser device of the present invention uses a composite material that is a mixture of a crystalline polymer and a dye (which does not generate harmonics when used alone). Specifically, a harmonic generation member is formed into a film and has a through hole with a diameter smaller than the beam diameter of the invisible laser beam generated by the laser light source, and the optical axis portion of the invisible laser beam is inserted into the through hole. In other words, the part with strong laser intensity passes through as it is, and the part around the optical axis, that is, the part with weak laser intensity, passes through the harmonic generation member to generate = 1J inkstone laser light, which is used as a treatment (processing) laser light and guide light. To make the entire laser device small and inexpensive with a structure part tIX.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of the present invention, and 1 is a laser in an invisible range (for example, Nd-Yag).

This is a laser oscillator that generates CO2, etc.). On the optical path of the invisible laser beam R1 generated by the laser oscillator 1, a coupler 2, a harmonic generation film 3, a condensing lens 4, a light guide fiber 5, and an optical system 6 are arranged in order from the front side. There is. Further, on the optical path between the harmonic generation film 3 and the condensing lens 4, a dichroic mirror 7 serving as a laser beam blocking means is provided so as to be openable and closable.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of a harmonic generating film 3 made of a harmonic generating material according to the present invention. This harmonic generation film 3 is made of, for example, paranitroaniline (P-NA) and poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL: Mw=7.5×10
4) is cast into a film using benzene as a solvent, and a through hole 8 with a diameter slightly smaller than the beam diameter of the invisible laser beam R1 emitted from the laser oscillator 1 is formed in the center of the film. There is. That is, FIG. 3(A),
As shown in (B), the optical axis portion of the invisible laser beam R has high laser intensity, and the laser intensity is low around the optical axis a and C, and the optical axis portion with high laser intensity is The optical axis 7. is passed directly through the through hole 8 of the harmonic generation film 3, and has a low laser intensity. 'j Boxes a and c are harmonic generation films 3
It is designed to transmit (visualize) harmonics in the visible range.

In a laser device with such a configuration, the laser oscillator l
The invisible laser beam R7 emitted from the lens enters the harmonic generation film 3 via the coupler 2, where it passes directly through the through hole 8 around the optical axis where the laser intensity is strong, and the area around the optical axis where the laser intensity is weak. a1C is transmitted through the harmonic generation film 3. Therefore, only the part where the laser intensity is weak is visualized, and the whole becomes visible laser light R2, which is transmitted to the condenser lens 4.
The light is focused and irradiated onto an irradiated object 9 via a light guide fiber 5 and an optical system 6. At this time, a predetermined position of the object 9 to be irradiated is illuminated by a light beam L with a weak laser intensity! It is possible to illuminate with fJa%C, and at the same time, the object 9 to be irradiated can be laser treated at the optical axis portion where the laser intensity is strong.

Incidentally, if it is desired to only illuminate a predetermined position of the object 9 to be irradiated with the visible laser beam R2, the dichroic mirror '/ may be closed to block the invisible laser beam.

In this way, the invisible laser beam R1 generated by one laser oscillator 1 is converted into visible laser beam R2 using the inexpensive and simple harmonic generation film 3 made of a harmonic generation material formed into a film, and this is converted into visible laser beam R2. A laser that can be used as a therapeutic laser bird and guide light! ;i! There is no need to use a special light source and optical path means for the guide light during e-setting, and the entire laser device is simplified compared to the conventional system, which uses a harmonic generation element using an expensive and complicated single crystal element. It is small, simple, easy to handle, and inexpensive.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment, and the same components as in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

That is, on the optical path between the laser oscillator 1 and the dichroic mirror 7, a harmonic generating shutter 11 made of the harmonic generating material used in the above embodiment is provided so as to be openable and closable.

In such a configuration, when the harmonic generation shutter 11 is opened, the invisible laser beam R is directly irradiated onto the irradiated object 9, and when the harmonic generation shutter 11 is closed, it is converted into an 11-visible laser beam and is applied to the irradiated object 9. Illuminating a predetermined location.

FIG. 5 shows still another embodiment-1, but in this case as well, the same components as in the above-mentioned embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

That is, the harmonic generation material used in the above embodiment can be mixed with the material of the optical system lens to form the harmonic generation lens 1.
On the optical path between the laser oscillator 1 and the dichroic mirror 7, the harmonic generation lens 12 is provided so as to be replaceable with a normal lens 13 as desired.

In such a configuration, when a normal lens 13 is used, the invisible laser beam R1 is directly irradiated onto the object 9,
When the harmonic generation lens 12 is used, the laser light is converted into visible laser light and illuminates a predetermined position of the object 9 to be irradiated.

Note that the other embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 above are as follows:
Both methods cannot generate invisible laser light and visible laser light at the same time, so they are somewhat difficult to handle.
The entire laser device can be extremely simplified as in the above embodiment.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the laser device of the present invention, there is no need to use a light source for guiding light and two optical path means in the laser device, and a complicated single crystal element with a height of 1-6 is used. Without installing a harmonic generation element, invisible laser light generated by one laser light source is converted into IIJ visual laser light using an inexpensive and simple harmonic generation member, and this is used as a therapeutic laser light and guide light. The entire laser device is simplified, and can be made small, simple, easy to handle, and inexpensive.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a laser device, Figure 2 is a front view of a harmonic generation film, and Figure 3 (A) shows an invisible laser beam. front view of,
Fig. 3 (B) is a diagram showing the relationship between each part of the invisible laser beam and the laser intensity, Fig. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser device showing another embodiment, and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing still another embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser device. 1... Laser oscillator, 3... Harmonic generation film,
8... Through hole, 11... Harmonic generation shutter, 12.
...Harmonic generation lens. Figure 11 Applicant's agent Patent attorney Atsushi Tsuboi Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a laser device, a harmonic generation member is provided on the optical path of invisible laser light generated by a laser light source, and the harmonic generation member generates harmonics in the visible range from the invisible laser light. It has a through hole with a diameter smaller than the beam diameter of the light, and allows the optical axis of the invisible laser beam to pass through this through hole as it is, while passing through a harmonic generation member around the optical axis to generate visible laser light. Characteristic laser equipment.