Semiconductor-laser-pumped solid-state laser apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides a semiconductor laser excitation solid-state laser device. In the semiconductor laser excitation solid-state laser device (11) for laser oscillation by using a semiconductor laser (2) to excite a solid-state laser medium (1), there is a control signal from the outside , switching the operation current of the above-mentioned semiconductor laser to the state of energizing at the oscillation threshold (L-LD) of the semiconductor laser or a current value above the threshold, and the driving current of the state of energizing at a current value smaller than the oscillation threshold of the semiconductor laser The switching unit (71) therefore can reduce the power consumption of the laser processing system and prolong the life of the semiconductor laser by controlling the laser oscillation control unit from the external control device even when the oscillation of the solid-state laser is stopped.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser excitation solid-state laser device, in particular to a semiconductor laser excitation solid-state laser device capable of controlling the driving current of the semiconductor laser by a signal from an external control device for controlling a laser processing system. Background technique [0002] We introduce laser processing systems in various fields such as cutting, welding, surface improvement, marking, and trimming of materials and parts. The laser device used in the laser processing system involves many aspects, but the semiconductor laser excitation solid-state laser device uses a semiconductor laser as a solid-state laser medium excitation light source, and is generally used to exert the characteristics of a single-wavelength oscillation and long-life semiconductor laser. Compared with the conventional lamp-excited solid-state laser device, the semiconductor laser-excited solid-state laser ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In the past, when the laser start signal from the external control device was turned off, even if the laser processing was not performed, as shown in FIG. -LD, so power is consumed even when laser processing is not performed

In addition, the life of a semiconductor laser is generally determined by the application time of the driving current. Therefore, when the laser processing is not performed, the driving current is also passed through the semiconductor laser, and its life will be shortened by as much as the power-on time, which is not economical.

[0008] Conventionally, as described above, the external control device 8 provided the start signal and the stop signal to the laser oscillation control unit 7, but when the laser is not oscillating, such as when the workpiece 9 is exchanged or the process schedule is changed, the external control device 8 is The laser oscillation control section 7 is not controlled, so even when the oscillation of the solid-state laser is stopped, the drive current I-LD between L-TH and LD-TH flows according to the program in the laser oscillation control section 7, so there is consumption The problem of high power and the problem of shortening the lifetime of the semiconductor laser 2

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