Patent · US Expired

Conduction cooled laser bore structures formed from graphite and other materials

US4734915A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
7References
61Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 26, 1985
Grant dateMar 29, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 26, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S3/032
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The subject invention is related to a new and improved bore assembly for use with a gaseous ion laser. Each bore assembly is mountable to a heat conducting member located within the tube. The heat conducting member is provided with a central opening and is connected at the periphery thereof to the inner surface of the tube. The bore assembly of the subject invention includes a discharge confining element having a central channel and formed from a sputter-resistant material such as graphite. An outer support member is provided which is disposed about at least a portion of the discharge confining element and is brazed to the heat conducting member in a manner to mechanically constrain the discharge confining element. During assembly, the opening of the channels of the discharge confining elements are coaxially aligned. During operation of the laser, the mechanically constrained discharge confining element will be heated and expand radially into the outer support member until thermal equilibrium is achieved thereby defining a thermally conductive pathway for cooling the laser.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.