| 摘要 |
Apparatus for Q-switching a carbon dioxide laser which operates on the scanning Fabry-Perot principle to affect a laser switching. At both ends of a laser cavity are positioned 100 percent reflective mirrors perpendicular to the laser beam. A pulse time modulation Q-switch is placed in the laser cavity which produces laser output pulses of fixed amplitude and width, but of varying frequency. The pulse time modulation, Q-switch is contained in a sandwich that includes a piezoelectric crystal, a germanium wedge, one of the end mirrors, a second germanium wedge, a Fabry-Perot interferometer, and a third germanium wedge. The Fabry-Perot interferometer, which is positioned within the laser cavity, is at a slight angle to the laser beam, while the 100 percent reflective mirror is perpendicular to the laser beam. Voltage pulses applied to the piezoelectric crystal cause the Fabry-Perot interferometer to change from a highly reflective state to a highly transmissive state, whereupon lasing occurs. When the Fabry-Perot interferometer changes back to its highly reflective state, a laser pulse is fed out of the laser cavity.
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