Device for the beam guiding of a laser beam

• US 20020163700A1
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRUMPF Lasertechnik GmbH (TRUMPF SE + Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: TRUMPF Lasertechnik GmbH (TRUMPF SE + Co. KG)
• Inventors: Hacker, Michael, Borstel, Michael von
• Granted Patent: US 6,709,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/198
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/02 Positioning or observing the workpiece, e.g. with respect to the point of impact; Aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/035 Aligning the laser beam automatically B23K26/042
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1815 with cooling or heating systems cooling arrangements for laser mirrors H01S3/0401
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the beam guiding of a laser beam with at least one optical element and with a housing that has a first housing section, which can be fitted at least partially into a support body of a power laser or beam guiding system or can be attached thereto, and a further housing section that at least partially encloses the optical element, wherein a one-piece housing is provided, into which the optical element can be fitted, and wherein a bearing surface for the optical element is provided, which bearing surface at least partially encloses the housing opening and has a coating with a surface that is harder than the housing material.

Claims

1. A device for beam guiding of a laser beam with at least one optical element and with a housing, which has a first housing section that is fittable at least partially into a support body of a power laser or beam guiding system or attachable thereto, and a further housing section that at least partially encloses the optical element, wherein a one-piece housing is provided, into which the optical element is fittable, and in that a bearing surface for the optical element is provided, which bearing surface at least partially encloses a housing opening and has a coating with a surface that is harder than a material from which the housing is made.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is made from a material with high thermal conductivity.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the housing is made of a light metal alloy or aluminium alloy.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the thermal conductivity of the housing material is more than 150 J/smK.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the coating of the bearing surface is provided using transition metals.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the coating of the bearing surface is provided with nickel, molybdenum, chromium or the like.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the coating has a layer thickness of at least 20 μ

m.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the coating is processed by turning or milling with diamond, polycrystalline diamond (PCD), ceramics as well as grinding, precision turning or lapping.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the coating has an evenness of less than 1 μ

m.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the bearing surface comprises at least as a partially coated annular surface.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the bearing surface comprises a fully coated annular surface.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has at least one cooling channel, which is provided in the housing level with the optical element and at least partially encloses the optical element.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the cooling channel is arranged symmetrically with respect to the optical element and fully encloses the optical element.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the cooling channel is supplied by a feed channel and a discharge channel.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the feed channel and the discharge channel are arranged perpendicular to the cooling channel.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the feed channel and the discharge channel are open into the cooling channel with a mutual offset of 180°

.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is enclosed at least partially by a holder.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is fitted in the further housing section.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the element comprises a mirror selected from a deflecting mirror, partial-transmission mirror, output element or total-reflection mirror.

20. The device according to claim 1, wherein a gas laser, is provided as a power laser.

21. The device according to claim 19, wherein the mirror is made of silicon, zinc selenide (ZnSe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), diamond or copper