Coherent light generators – Particular component circuitry – Optical pumping
Patent
1988-11-03
1989-12-26
Sikes, William L.
Coherent light generators
Particular component circuitry
Optical pumping
372 29, 372 30, H01S 300
Patent
active
048902918
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the following copending applications assigned to the same assignee as this application: 1989.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a laser oscillator control circuit, and more particularly to a laser oscillator control circuit for generating a train of control pulses in a digital manner.
BACKGROUND ART
Power supplies for producing high-frequency electric power from a direct current have widely been employed to supply electric power to laser oscillators. In order to generate high-frequency electric power, it is necessary to employ a laser oscillator control circuit for producing a pulse train to control the high-frequency electric power.
The laser oscillator control circuit has heretofore been constructed of a variable oscillator with its oscillation frequency variably dependent on the input voltage. The variable oscillator has been advantageous in that its output pulse train can freely be varied by varying the input voltage.
However, since the variable oscillator is operated under analog control, the accuracy of the pulse train is not necessarily sufficient under the influences of temperature, aging, and the like. When the off-time of the pulse train is zero (i.e., when the oscillator is 100% on) and when the on-time of the pulse train is zero (i.e., when the oscillator is 0% on , the laser oscillator control circuit of the conventional analog control type has to be controlled in special modes. Therefore, the control process is complex and the number of parts required for the control process is large.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser oscillator control circuit which will solve the above problems and which can generate a train of control pulses in a digital fashion.
To solve the above problems, there is provided according to the present invention a laser oscillator control circuit for controlling a command voltage to control the output power of a laser, comprising: time setting means for setting an on-time and an off-time; pulse generating means having a timer for generating a pulse train corresponding to said on-time and said off-time in response to a signal from said time setting means; bias command voltage setting means for setting data of a bias command voltage to determine a lowest level at which an electric discharge can be started; output voltage setting means for setting data of an output power voltage which is the sum of a voltage to produce the output power and said bias command voltage; and a selector for selecting and outputting the output power voltage when said pulse train is on and for selecting and outputting said bias command voltage when said pulse train is off. Since the pulse train is digitally established by the time setting means, it can be determined highly accurately.
Also the output power voltage is selected when the pulse train is on and the bias voltage is selected when the pulse train is off. Therefore, the output from the selector can be employed as a control signal for the laser oscillator control circuit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a laser oscillator control circuit according to the present invention; and
FIGS. 2(a), (b), (c), and (d) are diagrams showing the waveforms of various signals.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described in specific detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a laser oscillator control circuit according to the present invention. Denoted in FIG. 1 at 1 is a processor for controlling the entire circuit, at 2 is a keyboard, connected to the processor 1 through a bus for entering and modifying data, and at 3 is a CRT for displaying various data. The keyboard 2 can command the CRT 3 to select what to display. A memory 4 comprises a ROM for storing a control program and a RAM for storing various data.
A latch 5 serves to hold or set dat
REFERENCES:
patent: 3806829 (1974-04-01), Duston et al.
patent: 4627063 (1986-12-01), Hosokawa
Fanuc Ltd.
Holloway B. R. R.
Sikes William L.
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