| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To obtain a laser beam whose cross-sectional area is large and whose output is large by a method wherein a magnetic field generated in the direction parallel to the laser beam curves an electric discharge to be generated between electrodes in a circular arc shape and forms a discharge space close to a circle. CONSTITUTION:A coil 11 constitutes an electromagnet by an electric current supplied from a direct-current power supply 12, and generates a magnetic field in the direction parallel to the optical axis of a laser beam 6. When a voltage is impressed between electrodes 1, 1a from an alternating-current power supply 2, an electric discharge is curved in an arc shape like, e.g., 10a or 10b as the voltage of the alternating-current power supply 2 is changed to (-) or (+). A gas excited by the electric discharges 10a, 10b curved in different directions at each cycle forms a laser medium; however, because a response to a change in the electric discharge of the laser medium is slow at ten-odd musec in a gas composition of a CO2 laser apparatus, it is possible to obtain the laser medium which is almost steady in terms of the time and nearly circular with respect to a generated beam. By this setup, it is possible to efficiently take out a circular laser beam to the outside of a gas laser apparatus from a nearly circular discharge space B. |
