JPH0357445A - Laser device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To successively or simultaneously emit laser beams of different wavelength by one set of laser device with a simple constitution by providing an operating means for opposing selectively a total reflection mirror to a laser rod of the corresponding laser generator at the time of oscillating a laser beam, and a means for guiding a laser beam generated by each laser generator. CONSTITUTION:The oscillation of laser generators 26, 27, 28 and 29 is executed in accordance with a rotational operation timing of a rotary mirror by a control means. That is, when the rotary mirror 5 rotates, and specific total reflection mirrors 6, 7, 8 and 9 corresponding to laser rods 1, 2, 3 and 4 are opposed to those laser rods 1, 2, 3 and 4, those laser generators 26, 27, 28 and 29 are oscillated. Also, laser beams fetched from each laser generator 26, 27, 28 and 29 have intrinsic wavelength oscillated from the respective laser rods 1, 2, 3 and 4. Also, in the case the rotary mirror 5 is not rotated and the laser rods 1, 2, 3 and 4 corresponding to those total reflection mirrors 6, 7, 8 and 9 are opposed and stopped, all four kinds thereof, or two or more laser beams can be mixed and fetched, or an arbitrary laser beam can be fetched singly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a laser device capable of emitting laser beams of different wavelengths simultaneously or sequentially.

[Prior Art] Laser devices capable of emitting laser beams of different wavelengths are conventionally known in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-149184 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-285481.

In the case of JP-A No. 62-149184, 1
The resonant total reflection mirror is coated with multiple layers, each of which functions at a different wavelength, so that it can emit laser beams of different wavelengths, and the oscillation can be switched using a shutter.

Furthermore, in the method disclosed in JP-A No. 62-285481, different resonant mirrors are prepared, each resonant mirror is coated with a function corresponding to a different wavelength, and the mirrors are switched. This makes it possible to oscillate laser beams with different wavelengths.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, the above-mentioned conventional laser devices that are capable of emitting laser beams of different wavelengths with one laser device are only applicable to laser rods having one type of laser medium. It is a method.

For this reason, it is difficult to sequentially or simultaneously emit laser beams of a plurality of different wavelengths for various purposes from one laser device.

However, emitting laser beams of a plurality of different wavelengths sequentially or simultaneously can provide optimal processing conditions depending on the type of workpiece, for example, metal. In addition, when used for medical purposes, the purpose of the treatment, such as hemostasis, coagulation, evaporation, destruction, incision, etc., and the type of biological tissue to be treated,
More specifically, in order to obtain the optimal treatment effect depending on the tissue color, blood richness, hardness, and other properties, it is necessary to emit laser light of multiple wavelengths sequentially or simultaneously. is desirable.

However, as described above, conventionally, there has been no single laser device that can emit laser beams of multiple types of wavelengths sequentially or simultaneously.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to make it possible to emit laser beams of different wavelengths sequentially or simultaneously using a single laser device with a simple and economical configuration as possible. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a laser device.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] In order to solve the above problems, the laser device of the present invention includes a plurality of laser rods made of a laser medium, excitation means for supplying excitation energy to each of the laser rods, and A plurality of laser generators each consisting of a partial reflection mirror and a total reflection mirror constituting a resonator provided on a laser rod are provided, and each total reflection mirror of each laser generator is connected to the laser of the corresponding laser generator. The rod is provided with an operation means that can be selectively opposed to the rod, and when the laser beam is oscillated, the total reflection mirror is selectively opposed to the laser rod of the corresponding laser generator. The device is equipped with a means for guiding the generated laser light.

Thus, by selectively opposing the total reflection mirror of each laser generator to the laser rod of the corresponding laser generator using the operating means, the laser generator can be operated. Therefore, laser beams of different wavelengths can be emitted sequentially or simultaneously through the light guiding means.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, four types of laser rods 1, 2, 3.4 each made of a solid laser medium are connected to a rotating mirror 5.
They are arranged radially at equal intervals around the center. The type of laser medium of each of the first to fourth laser rods 1, 2, 3.4 is, for example, Nd:YAC;,E
Possible materials include r: YAG, Ho: YAG, ruby alexandrite, Ti-sapphire, and YLF. Note that when Nd:YAG is used, a laser beam with a wavelength of 1.06μ or 1.32μ can be obtained.

The rotating mirror 5 is connected to each laser rod 1, 2, 3.
．． It is constituted by a rotating polyhedral mirror in which total reflection mirrors 6, 7, 8, and 9 for totally reflecting laser light of a specific wavelength emitted from a rectangular prism 10 are arranged on each surface of a square prism 10.

Each total reflection mirror 6, 7, 8.9 is coated with a coating layer so as to totally reflect laser light of a specific wavelength generated from the corresponding laser rod 1, 2, 3.4. Note that a plurality of coating layers may be formed on the same total reflection mirror 6, 7, 8.9 so that laser beams of a plurality of wavelengths are totally reflected.

This rotating mirror 5 is operated by a rotating operation mechanism (not shown) (
It can be rotated at high speed by means of an operating means.

Further, each of the laser rods 1, 2, 3.4 is provided with an excitation lamp (excitation means) 11, 1 in a condenser (not shown), respectively.
It is included together with 2.13.14. Each excitation lamp 11, 12, 13.14 has a power supply 16.17, 18.19
Laser rods 1, 2, 3 facing each other receive power supplied from
, 411: to excite the laser rods 1, 2, 3.4. The excitation method may be continuous excitation or pulse excitation, and the excitation operation is controlled by a control means (not shown).

Each of the first to fourth laser rods 1, 2, 3.4 includes
Partial reflection mirrors (output mirrors), that is, first to fourth mirrors 21, 22, 23, and 24 are installed on the opposite side of the rotary mirror 5 with this mirror in between. The first to fourth mirrors 21, 22, 23.24 are formed with partial transmission coating layers corresponding to the wavelengths emitted from the laser rods 1.2, 3.4, respectively.

Thus, each of the laser rods 1, 2, 3.4 is connected to the rotating mirror 5 and the first to fourth mirrors 21, 22 which sandwich the laser rods 1, 2, 3.4.
, 23, 24 constitute first to fourth laser generators 26, 27, 28, 29, respectively.

Further, the laser rod 1 in the first laser generator 26
Q consisting of an acousto-optic element is provided between the mirror 21 and the first mirror 21.
The structure is such that a switch element 31 can be inserted to generate pulse oscillation.

The laser rod 2 in the second laser generator 27 and the second
A nonlinear optical element 32 such as a second harmonic generation element is inserted between the mirror 22 and the mirror 22, so that a second harmonic laser beam can be oscillated.

First to fourth condensing lenses 36, 37, 38, .
39 are arranged, and each of the laser generators 26, 27, 28
．． The laser beam emitted from the corresponding first to fourth
The light is introduced into the light guide paths 41, 42, 43, and 44 of. Each of the light guide paths 41, 42, 43, and 44 is composed of an optical fiber, a mirror reflection arm, or the like, and the output tips of these paths are grouped together at the incident side position of the condenser lens 45.

The laser beams guided through each of the light guide paths 41, 42, 43, and 44 are collected by a condenser lens 45 and made to enter the input end of a laser probe 46 made of an optical fiber. The laser probe 46 is configured to irradiate this laser light onto an object to be irradiated, for example, a biological tissue site 47 within a body cavity.

Next, the operation of the laser device having the above structure will be explained.

First to fourth laser generators 26, 27, 28, 29
Each excitation lamp 11, 12, 13.14 has a power supply 1119
When power is supplied from fl6, 17, 18, 19, the laser rods 1, 2, 3, . 4 is in a standby state where it can oscillate, but these laser generators 26, 27, 28
．． The oscillation of 29 is performed by a control means (not shown) in synchronization with the rotational timing of the rotating mirrors. That is, the rotating mirror 5 rotates, and the laser rods 1.2, 3.
When a specific total reflection mirror 6, 7, 8.9 corresponding to 4 faces the laser rod 1, 2, 3.4, the laser generator 26, 27, 28, 29 oscillates, respectively.

At this time, each laser generator 26, 27, 28 .
The laser light taken out from the laser rod 29 has a unique wavelength oscillated from each laser rod 1, 2, 3.4. Therefore, the form of the laser beam extracted when the rotating mirror 5 is rotated is as shown in FIG. That is, the first to fourth laser beams L+, L2, L3 sequentially emitted from each laser generator 26, 27, 28, 29.
, L4, a laser pulse having a time width and laser energy height determined by the rotational speed of the rotating mirror 5 is extracted. Each of the first to fourth laser beams L l rL2
, L3+L4 is a laser generator 26 that emits this.
, 27, 28.29.

Moreover, the total reflection mirror 6 of the rotary mirror 5 is not rotated.
, 7, 8.9 are stopped opposite the corresponding laser rods 1, 2, 3.4, all the laser generators 26, 27, 28, 29 are in a state where they can be oscillated. All four types of laser beams, or a mixture of two or more laser beams can be extracted, or any laser beam can be extracted alone. This mode is selected by a control means (not shown).

In addition, in the above embodiment, specific total reflection mirrors 6, 7, 8.9 by rotating the rotary mirror 5, laser rods 1, 2, 2, of the corresponding laser generators 26, 27, 28, 29
3.4, the laser generators 26, 27, 28, and 29 were controlled to oscillate in synchronization with this, but the excitation operation on the laser generators 26, 27, 28, and 29 side While continuing, the laser generators 26, 27, 2
The oscillation operation may be automatically caused when the corresponding specific total reflection mirrors 6, 7, 8.9 are opposed to the laser rods 1, 2.3.4 of 8.29.

In addition, if the laser rod of one laser oscillator is made of Nd:YAG, for example, the rotating mirror has l,06
A mirror that totally reflects laser light with a wavelength of 1.32μ
It is also possible to provide a mirror that totally reflects a laser beam with a wavelength of , and each mirror reflects a laser beam with a corresponding wavelength.

Furthermore, the number of types of laser oscillators, that is, laser rods is not limited to four, but may be two or more types.

The number of laser rods and total reflection mirrors may be selected depending on the use and purpose.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, one laser device can emit laser beams of a plurality of wavelengths sequentially or simultaneously.

Therefore, processing can be performed under optimal conditions depending on the type and properties of the workpiece, for example metal, and the purpose of cutting, heating, surface treatment, etc. In addition, when used for medical purposes, the treatment purpose, such as hemostasis, coagulation, evaporation, destruction, incision, etc., and the type of biological tissue to be treated, more specifically, the color of the tissue, the abundance of blood, the hardness, etc. It is possible to efficiently perform treatment by selecting the conditions that provide the optimal treatment effect depending on the differences in the properties of the treatment. Moreover, such a laser device can be provided economically.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the laser device, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the laser beam emission state. 1, 2, 3.4... Laser rod, 5... Rotating mirror 6.7, 8.9... Total reflection mirror 21.2223.
24... Mira 26.
27. 28. 29...Laser generator.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of laser rods each consisting of a plurality of laser rods made of a laser medium, an excitation means for supplying excitation energy to each of the laser rods, and a partial reflection mirror and a total reflection mirror that constitute a resonator provided in each laser rod. A laser generator is provided, and each total reflection mirror of each of the laser generators is provided to selectively face the laser rod of the corresponding laser generator, and when the laser beam is oscillated, the total reflection mirror is connected to the corresponding laser. 1. A laser device comprising: an operation means selectively facing a laser rod of a generator; and means for guiding laser light generated by each of the laser generators.