COMPENSATION FOR TRANSIENT HEATING OF LASER MIRRORS

摘要

A mirror assembly for a carbon dioxide (CO2) slab laser resonator includes a center section having a rectangular cross-section and a pair of thermal balancing bars. A concave reflecting surface formed on a front edge of a center section. The side-bars are attached to either side of the center section and extend forward of the reflective surface. Dimensions of the center section and side bars are selected to position the thermal neutral plane of the assembly close to the reflective surface. This minimizes changes the radius of curvature of the reflective surface due to heating by circulating radiation in the resonator.