| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To obtain a stable laser output constantly by a method wherein the CO content in laser beams is set in desired limits after the passage of the beams through a catalyst part irrespective of the volume of injection power of glow discharge. CONSTITUTION:A laser medium 2 containing CO2 gas is filled up in a discharge tube 1. Glow discharge 5 is generated between electrodes 3 and 4, thereby CO2 is excited and laser beams 6 are generated. The laser beams 6 are reflected between mirrors 7 and 8 and a part thereby is taken out to the outside through the intermediary of the mirror 8. The laser medium 2 is cooled by a heat exchanger 10 located in a circulation channel 9 and CO and O2 are combined at a catalyst 12. The 1st region 12A of the honeycomb-shaped catalyst 12 prepared by impregnating Al2O3 with Pt is heated by a heater so as to be kept at the temperature at which the oxidation characteristic of CO shows saturation, while the 2nd region 12B thereof is kept at the temperature at which CO is not oxidized nearly at all. Since the CO content in the laser medium after passage thereof through the catalyst part can be controlled to take a desired value by changing the area ratio between the 1st and 2nd regions, the laser output can be stabilized. |
