Colin's Home-Built Copper Vapor Laser (Gallery)
(This description and photos were provided by Colin Hopper
(lasermaster@onetel.net).)
I built the laser in my garage, which I converted into a workshop. It
is fairly short for space, given I have a lather, miller, vac system
and now the laser in it! The laser has been removed from the vac
system since I mailed you, and still works brilliantly. It runs with
a max PRF of 128pps at present. I have used four silica heaters to
heat the tube. They are surrounded by a water jacket, this keeps the
laser head at ambient, with no hot parts exposed. Minimal water flow
required.
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View 01 - Copper vapour laser in operation at 64 pps. The overall length
of the laser is 1.7 m. On the right is the resonant charging inductor,
de-Qing diodes, trigger card, and just visible thyratron. It is still
connected to the vacuum pump.
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View 02 - Thyratron and trigger board.
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View 03 - Beam passed through diffraction grating showing green and
yellow lasing lines.
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View 04 - Another view at 128 pps with 180 us delay. The laser has
been removed form the vacuum pump.
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View 05 - Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) and delay generator plus
tube temperature controller.
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View 06 - Front panel of controller, HT, and EHT power supply. The
displays are for tube temperature in °C, inter-pulse delay, and PRF.
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View 07 - Top view of laser.
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View 08 - View of OC mounting.
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View 09 - Internal view of the EHT power supply. The diodes are on the
rear of paxolin board behind reservoir capacitors.
