Carbon Dioxide Lasers (Gallery)
(The following 4 photos provided courtesy of: Chris Harriman
(chrish@netmedia.com).)
This is the resonator assembly removed from an unidentified CO2 (probably)
laser. It is sealed tube water cooled system with many temperature sensor
outputs. Power output is probably in the 20 watt range. I picked this
thing up at an auction 3 years ago and used its case for a project because
I didn't have a power supply that would drive the laser. :)
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View 01 - View from top.
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View 02 - View from side. A large ballast resistor (one of two) is
visible.
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View 03 - Here's it's business end with its stainless steel mirror mount.
The eight screws are probably the mirror adjustment in addition to fastening
the flange to the tube.
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View 04 - Rear view showing cooling water connections and similar mirror
assembly
(The following 3 photos provided courtesy of: Roger Vernon
(rvernon@ienvision.com).)
This is the resonator assembly from a larger CO2 laser (manufacturer unknown)
using a folded resonator design. It is probably capable of greater than 100
watts of output power. Note that the required mounting hardware and mirror
alignment brackets are not shown.
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View 05 - Overall view of folded resonator.
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View 06 - Close up of plumbing and electrical spaghetti at fold
mirror-end.
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View 07 - View from output end.
(The following 3 photos and description provided courtesy of:
Jim Kouris (gorilladiver@GorillaDiver.com).)
This is a 50 watt sealed glass CO2 laser tube with integral mirrors. It was
originally designed for a medical application. Overall size is 35" long by
3.2" diameter. The tube requires an operating current of 7 to 20 mA at 15 to
20 kV and 30 kV to start.
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View 08 - Overall view of laser tube.
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View 09 - Closeup of output mirror.
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View 10 - Closeup of cathode-end of tube.
(The following 6 photos provided courtesy of: Dave Johnson
(grumpyoldfart@cableone.net).)
Here are some details on a tube similar to the one above but rated at 35 W.
Tubes up to at least 120 W are physically similar though their size and power
requirements are greater. The tube is made by SurgiLaser (Warwick, RI) and
mates with a Universal Voltronics BRC-30-25-S power supply, a compact
switchmode type with a large flyback for the high voltage. According to
the schematic, there is no output filtering or ballast resistor - the tube
connects directly to the flyback transformer with its built-in HV rectifiers.
Tube specs:
- Output power: Up to 35 W CW.
- Beam diameter: 1.5 to 2 mm.
- Beam profile: TEM00.
- Overall length: 31 inches.
- Tube length: 24 inches.
- Outside diameter: 2.350 inches.
- Starting voltage: 30 kV.
- Operating voltage: 20 kV.
- Operating current: 7 to 25 mA.
- Cooling: Closed loop water with heat exchanger or tap water.
Power supply specs:
- Input: 115/230 VAC at 3/1.5 A.
- Laser power control: 0 to 10 VDC or external 5K ohm pot.
- Remote turn-on: 5 VDC at 5 mA.
And finally, the photos:
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View 11 - Closeup of HR-end of tube. This is the cathode with its high
voltage connection (longer screw). (The power supply output is negative
with respect to the ground return.)
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View 12 - Closeup of OC-end of tube with 4 mirror adjustment screws.
This is the anode and the high voltage return connects here.
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View 13 - Closeup of gas return inside gas reservoir. The coil is needed
to make this path longer than the bore to prevent the discharge from striking
to it instead of its proper place.
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View 14 - Another annotated view of the HR-end.
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View 15 - Another annotated view of the OC-end.
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View 16 - The Universal Voltronics BRC-25-25-S power supply which runs
this tube.
Here are some partial specs for a similar, but larger tube (no photos
available):
- Output power: Up to 120 W CW.
- Beam profile: TEM00.
- Overall length: 60 inches.
- Tube length: 52 inches.
- Outside diameter: 3.2 inches.
- Starting voltage: 40 kV.
- Operating voltage: 25 kV.
- Operating current: 10 to 30 mA.