Laser oscillation device

Abstract

A new laser oscillation device is provided which is capable of readily cooling down a laser medium without employing any large-size complicated separate or discrete devices such as fan blowers while at the same time improving the laser oscillation efficiency to thereby easily generate high-output laser light. To this end, a Lorentz force drive electromagnetic pump means and a cooling means are provided in a way such that the Lorentz force drive electromagnetic pump means is operable to drive the laser medium while allowing the cooling means to cool down the laser medium being driven.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A laser oscillation device comprising Lorentz force drive electromagnetic pump means and cooling means, wherein a laser medium is driven by the Lorentz force drive electromagnetic pump means, and wherein the laser medium being driven is cooled by the cooling means.  
     
     
         2 . The laser oscillation device according to    claim 1   , wherein the cooling means is one of a wall of a laser vacuum vessel being cooled and a cooler machine.  
     
     
         3 . The laser oscillation device according to    claim 1    or    2   , wherein a magnetic field generation means for applying a magnetic field to the laser medium within a laser tube is provided as the Lorentz force drive-electromagnetic pump means, and wherein the discharge between electrodes is performed upon application of the magnetic field by said magnetic field generation means causing oscillation of laser while simultaneously letting a discharge plasma generatable in a discharge region exhibit convection due to a Lorentz force created by a discharge current flowing at right angles to the magnetic field to thereby drive the laser medium.  
     
     
         4 . The laser oscillation device according to    claim 3   , wherein the magnetic field generation means is provided inside or outside of the laser tube.  
     
     
         5 . The laser oscillation device according to    claim 3    or    4   , wherein the magnetic field generation means is one of an inductive coil and a magnet.  
     
     
         6 . The laser oscillation device according to any one of the preceding    claims 1    to    5   , wherein a cathode and an anode have a structure wherein a discharge current has a component perpendicular to the direction of a magnetic field.  
     
     
         7 . The laser oscillation device according to any one of the preceding    claims 1    to    6   , wherein the discharging direction is at right angles to the magnetic field direction.