Energy storage and discharge device for laser and its charging and discharging method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of laser technology, and more particularly to an energy storage and discharge device for a laser and its charging and discharging method. The discharge device includes a support frame, a discharge mechanism, and an energy storage mechanism. A first insulating plate and a second insulating plate are disposed within the support frame. The first insulating plate is located at the bottom of the support frame, and the second insulating plate divides the support frame into an energy storage cavity and a discharge cavity. The discharge mechanism includes a pair of electrodes, an anode electrical connection plate, a first current-guiding plate, and a second current-guiding plate. The pair of electrodes includes an anode and a cathode. The anode is connected to the support frame and the first insulating plate via the anode electrical connection plate, and the cathode is mounted on the second insulating plate. The first current-guiding plate is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the anode, and the second current-guiding plate is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the cathode. The energy storage mechanism is connected to the cathode and is used to store electrical energy and release energy to the pair of electrodes during discharge. The advantage of this invention is that it can achieve large-volume, high-energy, uniform glow discharge without the need for pre-ionization.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of laser technology, and in particular to an energy storage and discharge device for a laser and its charging and discharging method. Background Technology

[0002] Pulsed glow discharge in transversely excited pulsed gas lasers typically employs ultraviolet pre-ionization to initiate the discharge, such as in pulsed TEACO2 lasers, XeCl / KrF excimer lasers, and discharge-induced pulsed HF / DF lasers. The laser pulsed glow discharge is generated by a pair of elongated, plate-like electrodes positioned at a certain distance from each other. The ultraviolet pre-ionization device is symmetrically positioned on both sides of the plate electrodes along their width. Its function is to generate a large number of uniformly distributed free electrons in the electrode gap before the discharge begins, reducing the breakdown voltage of the discharge gap and thus achieving a large-volume, uniform glow discharge. The surface of the plate electrodes for this discharge method must be extremely smooth, typically requiring an arithmetic mean of surface micro-irregularities below 0.1 µm.

[0003] Developing high-energy, high-power pulsed gas lasers requires increasing the electrode discharge gap to enlarge the discharge volume, which in turn increases the breakdown voltage. In this case, the ultraviolet pre-ionization device needs to increase its distance from the plate electrode to meet insulation requirements. Since the effectiveness of ultraviolet pre-ionization is inversely proportional to the square of the distance, its pre-ionization effect on the plate electrode gap deteriorates. This is particularly true for discharge-induced pulsed HF / DF lasers, where the working gas contains the highly electronegative gas SF6, which strongly attracts free electrons, significantly reducing the pre-ionization effect and making it difficult to achieve high-energy uniform glow discharge. This hinders the development of such lasers towards higher energy and higher power. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide an energy storage and discharge device for a laser and its charging and discharging method. The device has tiny spikes on the surface of the cathode. When a high voltage is applied to the cathode and the anode, one or more discharge channels connecting to the anode are first formed from the cathode spikes. The discharge channels gradually develop and fill the electrode surface, so that the laser working gas of the laser generates a large-volume uniform glow discharge between the discharge channels, providing a gain medium for laser generation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: an energy storage and discharge device for a laser includes: a support frame and a discharge mechanism and an energy storage mechanism disposed within the support frame; a gas channel and a laser channel are provided on the support frame; a first insulating plate and a second insulating plate are disposed within the support frame, the first insulating plate being disposed at the bottom of the support frame, and the second insulating plate dividing the internal space of the support frame into an energy storage cavity and a discharge cavity; the discharge cavity is installed within the working cavity of the laser; the discharge mechanism is disposed within the discharge cavity; the discharge mechanism includes a pair of electrodes, an anode electrical connection plate, a first guide plate, and a second guide plate; the anode of the pair of electrodes is connected to the support frame and the first insulating plate through the anode electrical connection plate; the cathode of the pair of electrodes is connected to the second insulating plate; the first guide plate is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the anode, and the second guide plate is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the cathode; the discharge mechanism is used to provide a gain medium for the laser beam of the laser; the energy storage mechanism is disposed within the energy storage cavity and connected to the cathode; the energy storage mechanism supplies energy to the pair of electrodes by storing and releasing electrical energy, thereby causing the laser working gas to generate glow discharge between the pair of electrodes, forming a laser gain medium.

[0006] Furthermore, the surface of the cathode is uniformly covered with spikes, which are used to form a discharge channel connected to the anode; the length of the anode electrical connection plate is equal to the length of the anode.

[0007] Furthermore, the energy storage mechanism includes a cathode electrical connection plate, an energy storage capacitor bank, a reverse capacitor bank, a charging connection plate, a charging / discharging inductor bank, a grounding connection plate, a pulse switch, a trigger signal line, a switch ground plane, and a charging connection line. The cathode electrical connection plate is connected to the cathode. The energy storage capacitor bank is located between the cathode electrical connection plate and the charging connection plate, with its two ends connected to both the cathode electrical connection plate and the charging connection plate, respectively. The reverse capacitor bank is located between the charging connection plate and the grounding connection plate, and its position corresponds to that of the energy storage capacitor bank. Its two ends are connected to both the charging connection plate and the grounding connection plate, respectively. The pulse switch is located on the charging connection plate, at a position corresponding to the center of the cathode. The positive terminal of the pulse switch is connected to the charging connection plate, and the negative terminal of the pulse switch is connected to the grounding connection plate through the switch ground plane. The trigger signal line connects the trigger terminal of the pulse switch to the positive terminal of the laser's switching pulse trigger. The charging / discharging inductor bank is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the energy storage capacitor bank, with its two ends connected to both the cathode electrical connection plate and the grounding connection plate, respectively.

[0008] Furthermore, the energy storage capacitor bank includes two rows of energy storage capacitors, each row of energy storage capacitors being evenly distributed along the long axis of the cathode on the cathode electrical connection plate; the two rows of energy storage capacitors are symmetrically arranged along the short axis of the cathode.

[0009] Furthermore, the reverse capacitor bank includes two rows of reverse capacitors, each row of reverse capacitors being evenly distributed along the long axis of the cathode; the two rows of reverse capacitors are symmetrically arranged along the short axis of the cathode; the number of reverse capacitors is equal to the number of energy storage capacitors, each reverse capacitor and each energy storage capacitor uses the same capacitor, and the position of each reverse capacitor corresponds one-to-one with the position of the energy storage capacitor.

[0010] Furthermore, the charging and discharging inductor group includes two rows of charging and discharging inductors. Each row of charging and discharging inductors is evenly distributed along the long axis of the cathode, and the two rows of charging and discharging inductors are symmetrically arranged along the short axis of the cathode and located outside the energy storage capacitor group. The two ends of the charging and discharging inductors are connected to the cathode electrical connection plate and the grounding connection plate, respectively.

[0011] Furthermore, the support frame includes two side plates arranged parallel to each other along the length direction and two end plates arranged parallel to each other along the width direction. The two side plates and the two end plates are connected to each other to form a rectangular frame. The two side plates are respectively connected to the anode connection plate and the ground connection plate. Each side plate has a vent at the discharge cavity position. The vents of the two side plates together form a gas channel and are connected to the gas circulation channel of the laser. The vents include multiple rectangular openings, and a conductive strip is formed between adjacent rectangular openings. The conductive strip serves as a current path to ensure the uniformity of conductivity between the electrodes of the discharge cavity. Each end plate has a light-transmitting hole at the discharge cavity position. The light-transmitting holes of the two end plates together form a laser channel, providing space for laser oscillation amplification for the optical resonant cavity of the laser.

[0012] A charging and discharging method for an energy storage and discharging device of a laser, implemented based on the aforementioned energy storage and discharging device of the laser, wherein the energy storage mechanism of the energy storage and discharging device includes a cathode electrical connection plate, an energy storage capacitor bank, a reverse capacitor bank, a charging connection plate, a charging and discharging inductor bank, a grounding connection plate, a pulse switch, a trigger signal line, a switch ground plane, and a charging connection line; the charging and discharging method includes the following steps:

[0013] S1: Install the discharge cavity of the support frame inside the working cavity of the laser, ensuring that the gas channel is connected to the gas circulation channel of the laser and that the laser channel is coaxial with the optical axis of the laser's optical resonant cavity;

[0014] S2: Fill the energy storage cavity with insulating oil; connect the energy storage mechanism to the high-voltage power supply of the laser to ensure the formation of a complete conductive circuit;

[0015] S3: Start the high-voltage power supply. The high-voltage power supply charges the energy storage capacitor bank and the reverse capacitor bank through the charging connection board.

[0016] S4: The laser's switching pulse trigger turns on the pulse switch through the trigger signal line, and the energy storage capacitor bank and the reverse capacitor bank start discharging simultaneously, forming a discharge channel between the discharge surface of the cathode and the discharge surface of the anode. The laser working gas of the laser generates a large-volume uniform glow discharge in the discharge channel, providing a gain medium for laser generation.

[0017] Furthermore, in step S3, the high-voltage power supply is activated, and the current is divided into two charging paths via the charging connection board:

[0018] Energy storage capacitor charging path: The current flows out from the charging connection plate, flows through the energy storage capacitor group, cathode connection plate, charging and discharging inductor group, grounding connection plate in sequence, and finally flows back to the high voltage power supply through the support frame;

[0019] Reverse capacitor charging path: The current flows from the charging connection board through the reverse capacitor group and the grounding connection board in sequence, and finally flows back to the high voltage power supply through the support frame.

[0020] Furthermore, in step S4, the discharge path of the reverse capacitor is as follows: from the lower terminal of the reverse capacitor to the charging connection board, then to the pulse switch, through the switch ground plane to the ground connection board, and finally back to the upper terminal of the reverse capacitor.

[0021] The discharge path of the energy storage capacitor: The current flows from the upper terminal of the energy storage capacitor through the following in sequence: charging connection plate, pulse switch, switch ground plate, ground connection plate, charging and discharging inductor, cathode connection plate, and finally returns to the lower terminal of the energy storage capacitor.

[0022] During this process, two parallel conductive channels are formed in the discharge path starting from the grounding connection plate:

[0023] The first conductive path is as follows: the current flows sequentially through the side plate in the support frame, the anode electrical connection plate, the anode, and through the glow discharge between the anode and the cathode to the cathode, and then returns to the lower terminal of the energy storage capacitor through the cathode electrical connection plate.

[0024] The second conductive path is as follows: the current flows sequentially through the charging / discharging inductor and the cathode connecting plate, and returns to the lower terminal of the energy storage capacitor.

[0025] The present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0026] 1) The discharge surface of the cathode is uniformly covered with spikes, which are used to form a discharge channel connected to the anode. This allows the laser working gas to generate glow discharge between a pair of electrodes under conditions without pre-ionization, forming a laser gain medium.

[0027] 2) The discharge mechanism and energy storage mechanism are integrated into a single design, achieving an integrated, compact, and fast discharge structure that combines energy storage and discharge.

[0028] 3) The pulse switch is set at the center position corresponding to the cathode. The energy storage capacitor group and the charging and discharging inductor group are evenly distributed along the long axis of the cathode and symmetrically arranged along the short axis of the cathode. The length of the anode electrical connection plate is consistent with the length of the anode, so that a uniform and stable glow discharge is formed between the anode and the cathode under the condition of no pre-ionization. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of the invention are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the energy storage and discharge device for a laser according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the energy storage and discharge device of a laser provided according to an embodiment of the present invention from another perspective;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the side plate provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the end plate structure provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the cathode discharge surface spikes provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the cathode discharge surface spikes provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional dimensions of the cathode discharge surface spike structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the charging and discharging circuit of the energy storage and discharging device for a laser provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] The reference numerals in the attached drawings include: 1. Support frame; 11. Side plate; 12. End plate; 13. Vent; 14. Light-transmitting hole; 15. First insulating plate; 16. Second insulating plate; 2. Discharge mechanism; 21. First guide plate; 22. Second guide plate; 23. Anode; 24. Cathode; 25. Anode electrical connection plate; 3. Energy storage mechanism; 31. Cathode electrical connection plate; 32. Energy storage capacitor bank; 33. Reverse capacitor bank; 34. Charging connection plate; 35. Charging and discharging inductor bank; 36. Grounding connection plate; 37. Pulse switch; 38. Trigger signal line; 39. Switch grounding plate; 310. Charging connection line. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0040] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0041] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0042] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments.

[0044] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides an energy storage and discharge device for a laser, comprising: a support frame 1 and a discharge mechanism 2 and an energy storage mechanism 3 disposed within the support frame 1.

[0045] The support frame 1 includes two side plates 11 arranged parallel to each other along the length direction and two end plates 12 arranged parallel to each other along the width direction. The two side plates 11 and the two end plates 12 are connected to each other to form a rectangular frame. Two first insulating plates 15 and one second insulating plate 16 are provided inside the support frame 1. The two first insulating plates 15 are located at the bottom of the support frame 1 and are connected to the two end plates 12 and the two side plates 11 respectively.

[0046] The second insulating plate 16 is located above the first insulating plate 15, dividing the support frame 11 into an energy storage cavity and a discharge cavity. The discharge cavity is installed inside the working cavity of the laser.

[0047] Each side plate 11 has a through vent 13 at its discharge cavity location. The vents 13 of the two side plates form a gas channel for communication with the gas circulation channel of the laser. The vent 13 includes multiple uniformly arranged rectangular openings, with the portions between adjacent rectangular openings forming a conductive strip. The conductive strip serves as a current path, ensuring the uniformity of conductivity between the electrodes of the discharge cavity. Each end plate 12 has a through light-transmitting hole 14 at its discharge cavity location. The light-transmitting holes 14 of the two end plates 12 form a laser channel for the transmission of oscillating laser light within the optical resonant cavity. In this embodiment, the light-transmitting hole 14 is a circular hole.

[0048] When the discharge cavity of the support frame 1 is installed inside the working cavity of the laser, ensure that the gas channel is connected to the gas circulation channel of the laser. The laser channel is coaxial with the optical axis of the laser's optical resonant cavity. The second insulating plate 16 has an elongated hole for the upper surface (mounting surface) of the cathode 24 to pass through.

[0049] The discharge mechanism 2 is disposed within the discharge chamber and includes a pair of electrodes, a first guide plate 21, and a second guide plate 22. The pair of electrodes includes an anode 23 and a cathode 24. The anode 23 is connected to two side plates 11 and two first insulating plates 15 via an anode electrical connection plate 25. The lower surface of the anode electrical connection plate 25 is flush with the lower surface of the support frame 1. The cathode 24 is mounted on the second insulating plate 16, and its upper surface (mounting surface) passes through an elongated hole in the second insulating plate 16 and is flush with its upper surface. The discharge surface (upper surface) of the anode 23 and the discharge surface (lower surface) of the cathode 24 are parallel and aligned. The first guide plates 21 are symmetrically arranged on both long sides of the anode 23, and the second guide plates 22 are symmetrically arranged on both long sides of the cathode 24. The length of the anode electrical connection plate 25 is consistent with that of the anode 23. This design aims to ensure a uniform glow discharge between the anode 23 and the cathode 24 without pre-ionization. If the length of the anode electrical connection plate 25 is different from the length of the anode 23, arc discharge will occur between them.

[0050] Both the discharge surfaces of the cathode 24 and the anode 23 are "Zhang's" electrode surfaces that meet the requirements of a uniform field electrode. The discharge surface of the anode 23 is a smooth surface with a roughness value of less than 0.1µm.

[0051] The discharge surface of cathode 24 is uniformly covered with spikes, which are used to form a discharge channel connected to anode 23. For example... Figures 5 to 7 As shown, the spikes have an irregular shape, wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, with a height between 60µm and 80µm and a lower width between 60µm and 100µm. The spike structure is formed using ultrafast laser micromachining technology, with the laser beams arranged in an array for point-by-point processing. The array parameters can be adaptively adjusted according to the size of the cathode 24.

[0052] The energy storage mechanism 3 is located inside the energy storage cavity and is connected to the cathode 24. It is used to store electrical energy and release energy to a pair of electrodes during discharge.

[0053] The energy storage mechanism 3 includes a cathode electrical connection plate 31, an energy storage capacitor group 32, a reverse capacitor group 33, a charging connection plate 34, a charging and discharging inductor group 35, a grounding connection plate 36, a pulse switch 37, a trigger signal line 38, a switch grounding plate 39, and a charging connection line 310.

[0054] The cathode connection plate 31 is connected to the upper surface of the cathode 24. The energy storage capacitor bank 32 is located between the cathode connection plate 31 and the charging connection plate 34, with both ends connected to the cathode connection plate 31 and the charging connection plate 34 respectively. Gaps are provided between the periphery of the cathode connection plate 31 and the periphery of the charging connection plate 34 and the inner wall of the support frame 1. The size of these gaps must ensure that no high-voltage breakdown occurs between the cathode connection plate 31, the charging connection plate 34, and the support frame 1 under conditions where insulating oil is filled.

[0055] Specifically, there are gaps between the periphery of the cathode connection plate 31 and the two side plates 11 and the two end plates 12. There are also gaps between the periphery of the charging connection plate 34 and the two side plates 11 and the two end plates 12.

[0056] The energy storage capacitor bank 32 includes two rows of energy storage capacitors, each row being evenly distributed along the long axis (the axis along the length of the cathode 24). The two rows of energy storage capacitors are symmetrically arranged along the short axis (the axis along the width of the cathode 24). Each row of energy storage capacitors includes at least two energy storage capacitors. The two ends of each energy storage capacitor are connected to the cathode electrical connection plate 31 and the charging connection plate 34, respectively.

[0057] The reverse capacitor bank 33 is located between the charging connection plate 34 and the grounding connection plate 36, and its position corresponds to that of the energy storage capacitor bank 32. One pair of opposite sides of the grounding connection plate 36 is connected to the side plate 11 of the support frame 1, and the other pair of opposite sides of the grounding connection plate 36 has a gap with the end plate 12 of the support frame 1. Both ends of the reverse capacitor bank 33 are connected to the charging connection plate 34 and the grounding connection plate 36, respectively. Specifically, the reverse capacitor bank 33 includes two rows of reverse capacitors. Each row of reverse capacitors is evenly distributed along the long axis (the axis along the length of the cathode 24), and the two rows of reverse capacitors are symmetrically arranged along the short axis (the axis along the width of the cathode 24). Both ends of each reverse capacitor are connected to the charging connection plate 34 and the grounding connection plate 36, respectively. The number of reverse capacitors is equal to the number of energy storage capacitors. Each reverse capacitor uses the same type of capacitor as each energy storage capacitor, and the position of each reverse capacitor corresponds one-to-one with the position of the energy storage capacitor.

[0058] The charging / discharging inductor group 35 includes two rows of charging / discharging inductors. Each row of charging / discharging inductors is evenly distributed along the long axis (the axis along the length of the cathode 24), and the two rows of charging / discharging inductors are symmetrically arranged along the short axis (the axis along the width of the cathode 24) and located outside the energy storage capacitor group 32. The two ends of the charging / discharging inductors are connected to the cathode electrical connection plate 31 and the ground connection plate 36, respectively.

[0059] The pulse switch 37 is disposed on the charging connection plate 34 and is located at a position corresponding to the center position of the cathode 24. The positive terminal of the pulse switch 37 is connected to the charging connection plate 34, and the negative terminal of the pulse switch 37 is connected to the grounding connection plate 36 through the switch grounding plate 39.

[0060] The trigger signal line 38 connects the trigger terminal of the pulse switch 37 to the positive terminal of the laser's switching pulse trigger, while the negative terminal of the switching pulse trigger is grounded, forming a conductive circuit.

[0061] One end of the charging connection cable 310 is connected to the charging connection plate 34, and the other end of the charging connection cable 310 passes through the gap between the grounding connection plate 36 and the support frame 1 and is connected to the high-voltage charging power supply outside the energy storage and discharge device of the laser.

[0062] A charging and discharging method for an energy storage and discharging device of a laser, based on the aforementioned energy storage and discharging device of a laser and implemented in conjunction with a laser, includes the following steps:

[0063] S1: The discharge cavity of the energy storage and discharge device of the laser is installed inside the working cavity of the laser, and the energy storage cavity is located outside the working cavity of the laser. Ensure that the gas channel is connected to the gas circulation channel of the laser, and the laser channel is coaxial with the optical axis of the optical resonant cavity of the laser, so as to pass the oscillating laser in the optical resonant cavity.

[0064] S2: Fill the energy storage cavity with insulating oil; connect the energy storage mechanism 3 to the high-voltage power supply of the laser to ensure a complete conductive circuit is formed. The insulating oil is used to insulate and cool the energy storage mechanism 3.

[0065] S3: Start the high-voltage charging power supply of the laser. The high-voltage power supply charges the energy storage capacitor group 32 and the reverse capacitor group 33 through the charging connection board 34.

[0066] Specifically, the positive terminal of the high-voltage power supply is connected to the charging connection line 310, and the negative terminal of the high-voltage power supply is grounded, forming a conductive circuit. The positive terminal of the laser's switching pulse trigger is connected to the trigger signal line 38, and the negative terminal of the switching pulse trigger is grounded, forming a conductive circuit.

[0067] When the high-voltage power supply is charging, the current flows from the positive terminal of the high-voltage power supply to the charging connection line 310 and then to the charging connection board 34, where it splits into two charging paths:

[0068] Energy storage capacitor charging path: The current flows out from the charging connection plate 34, flows through the energy storage capacitor group 32, the cathode connection plate 31, the charging and discharging inductor group 35, and the grounding connection plate 36 in sequence, and finally flows back to the high voltage power supply through the support frame 1.

[0069] Reverse capacitor charging path: The current flows out from the charging connection plate 34, flows through the reverse capacitor group 33 and the grounding connection plate 36 in sequence, and finally flows back to the high voltage power supply through the support frame 1.

[0070] S4: After charging is complete, the laser's switching pulse trigger turns on the pulse switch 37 via the trigger signal line 38. The energy storage capacitor group 32 and the reversing capacitor group 33 simultaneously begin to discharge. Initially, one or more discharge channels connecting to the anode 23 are formed from the spikes of the cathode 24. As electrical energy is continuously injected, the discharge surfaces of the cathode 24 and the anode 23 are filled with discharge channels. The laser working gas of the laser generates a large-volume uniform glow discharge between the discharge channels, providing a gain medium for laser generation.

[0071] Specifically, the discharge path of the reverse capacitor is as follows: from the lower terminal (positive) of the reverse capacitor to the charging connection board 34, then to the pulse switch 37, through the switch ground plane 39 to the ground connection board 36, and finally back to the upper terminal (negative) of the reverse capacitor. Because the circuit impedance of the reverse capacitor is extremely small and the discharge rate is extremely fast, the voltage across the reverse capacitor is reversed in a very short time.

[0072] The discharge path of the energy storage capacitor is as follows: from the upper terminal (positive) of the energy storage capacitor to the charging connection plate 34, then to the pulse switch 37, through the switch grounding plate 39 to the grounding connection plate 36, and finally through the charging and discharging inductor to the cathode connection plate 31, returning to the lower terminal (negative) of the energy storage capacitor. During this process, the discharge path from the grounding connection plate 36 forms two parallel conductive channels: the first conductive channel is: the current sequentially passes through the side plate 11 in the support frame 1, the anode connection plate 25, the anode 23, and reaches the cathode 24 through the glow discharge between the anode 23 and the cathode 24, and then returns to the lower terminal of the energy storage capacitor through the cathode connection plate 31;

[0073] The second conductive path is as follows: the current passes sequentially through the charging and discharging inductor and the cathode connecting plate 31, and returns to the lower terminal of the energy storage capacitor.

[0074] Because the energy storage capacitor circuit has a large charging and discharging inductance, the circuit impedance is relatively high, resulting in a relatively slow discharge rate. When the voltage across the reverse capacitor reverses, the voltage across the energy storage capacitor only drops slightly. At this time, the voltage formed by the series connection of the energy storage capacitor and the reverse capacitor is simultaneously applied between the charging and discharging inductors.

[0075] The charging / discharging inductor is connected as follows: its lower end is connected to the cathode 24 via the cathode connection plate 31, and its upper end is connected to the anode 23 via the ground connection plate 36, the side plate 11, and the anode connection plate 25. Therefore, the charging / discharging inductor is connected in parallel with the cathode 24 and the anode 23. The voltage formed by the series connection of the energy storage capacitor and the reverse capacitor is also simultaneously applied across the cathode 24 and the anode 23.

[0076] Because the discharge surface of cathode 24 is covered with spikes, the electric field strength between the spikes and anode 23 is very high at the long edge of the electrode, making it easy to break down and form a discharge channel first. As electrical energy is continuously injected, the discharge channel rapidly diffuses along the width of the electrode, filling the discharge surfaces of cathode 24 and anode 23. This causes the laser working gas of the laser to generate a large-volume uniform glow discharge between the discharge channels, providing a gain medium for laser generation.

[0077] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. An energy storage and discharge device for a laser, characterized in that, include: The support frame and the discharge mechanism and energy storage mechanism disposed within the support frame; The support frame is provided with a gas channel and a laser channel; a first insulating plate and a second insulating plate are provided inside the support frame, the first insulating plate is located at the bottom of the support frame, and the second insulating plate divides the internal space of the support frame into an energy storage cavity and a discharge cavity; the discharge cavity is installed in the working cavity of the laser. The discharge mechanism is disposed within the discharge cavity; the discharge mechanism includes a pair of electrodes, an anode electrical connection plate, a first guide plate, and a second guide plate; the anode of the pair of electrodes is connected to the support frame and the first insulating plate through the anode electrical connection plate; the cathode of the pair of electrodes is connected to the second insulating plate; the first guide plate is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the anode, and the second guide plate is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the cathode; the discharge mechanism is used to provide a gain medium for the laser beam of the laser. The energy storage mechanism is located inside the energy storage cavity and is connected to the cathode. The energy storage mechanism supplies energy to a pair of electrodes by storing and releasing electrical energy, thereby causing the laser working gas to generate glow discharge between the pair of electrodes and forming a laser gain medium.

2. The energy storage and discharge device for a laser according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the cathode is uniformly covered with spikes, which are used to form a discharge channel connected to the anode; the length of the anode electrical connection plate is equal to the length of the anode.

3. The energy storage and discharge device for a laser according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage mechanism includes a cathode electrical connection plate, an energy storage capacitor bank, a reverse capacitor bank, a charging connection plate, a charging and discharging inductor bank, a grounding connection plate, a pulse switch, a trigger signal line, a switch ground plane, and a charging connection line. The cathode electrical connection plate is connected to the cathode; the energy storage capacitor bank is located between the cathode electrical connection plate and the charging connection plate, and the two ends of the energy storage capacitor bank are respectively connected to the cathode electrical connection plate and the charging connection plate; The reverse capacitor bank is located between the charging connection plate and the grounding connection plate, and its position corresponds to that of the energy storage capacitor bank; the two ends of the reverse capacitor bank are respectively connected to the charging connection plate and the grounding connection plate. The pulse switch is disposed on the charging connection board at a position corresponding to the center position of the cathode; the positive terminal of the pulse switch is connected to the charging connection board, and the negative terminal of the pulse switch is connected to the grounding connection board through the switch ground plane; the trigger signal line connects the trigger terminal of the pulse switch to the positive terminal of the laser's switch pulse trigger. The charging and discharging inductors are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the energy storage capacitor group, and the two ends of the charging and discharging inductors are respectively connected to the cathode electrical connection plate and the grounding connection plate.

4. The energy storage and discharge device for a laser according to claim 3, characterized in that, The energy storage capacitor bank includes two rows of energy storage capacitors, each row of energy storage capacitors is evenly distributed on the cathode electrical connection plate along the long axis of the cathode; the two rows of energy storage capacitors are symmetrically arranged along the short axis of the cathode.

5. The energy storage and discharge device for a laser according to claim 3, characterized in that, The reverse capacitor bank includes two rows of reverse capacitors, each row of reverse capacitors being evenly distributed along the long axis of the cathode; the two rows of reverse capacitors are symmetrically arranged along the short axis of the cathode. The number of reverse capacitors is equal to the number of energy storage capacitors. Each reverse capacitor and each energy storage capacitor uses the same capacitor, and the position of each reverse capacitor corresponds one-to-one with the position of the energy storage capacitor.

6. The energy storage and discharge device for a laser according to claim 3, characterized in that, The charge / discharge inductor group includes two rows of charge / discharge inductors. Each row of charge / discharge inductors is evenly distributed along the long axis of the cathode. The two rows of charge / discharge inductors are symmetrically arranged along the short axis of the cathode and located outside the energy storage capacitor group. The two ends of the charge / discharge inductors are respectively connected to the cathode electrical connection plate and the grounding connection plate.

7. The energy storage and discharge device for a laser according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame includes two side plates arranged parallel to each other along the length direction and two end plates arranged parallel to each other along the width direction. The two side plates and the two end plates are connected to each other to form a rectangular frame. The two side plates are respectively connected to the anode connection plate and the grounding connection plate; each side plate has a vent at the discharge cavity position, and the vents of the two side plates together form a gas channel and are connected to the gas circulation channel of the laser; the vent includes multiple rectangular openings, and a conductive strip is formed between adjacent rectangular openings; the conductive strip serves as a current path to ensure the uniformity of conductivity between the electrodes of the discharge cavity; Each of the end plates has a light-transmitting hole at the discharge cavity position. The light-transmitting holes of the two end plates together form a laser channel, providing space for laser oscillation and amplification for the optical resonant cavity of the laser.

8. A charging and discharging method for an energy storage and discharging device of a laser, implemented based on the energy storage and discharging device of the laser according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The energy storage mechanism of the energy storage and discharge device includes a cathode connection plate, an energy storage capacitor bank, a reverse capacitor bank, a charging connection plate, a charging and discharging inductor bank, a grounding connection plate, a pulse switch, a trigger signal line, a switch ground plane, and a charging connection line; the charging and discharging method includes the following steps: S1: Install the discharge cavity of the support frame inside the working cavity of the laser, ensuring that the gas channel is connected to the gas circulation channel of the laser and that the laser channel is coaxial with the optical axis of the laser's optical resonant cavity; S2: Fill the energy storage cavity with insulating oil; connect the energy storage mechanism to the high-voltage power supply of the laser to ensure the formation of a complete conductive circuit; S3: Start the high-voltage power supply. The high-voltage power supply charges the energy storage capacitor bank and the reverse capacitor bank through the charging connection board. S4: The laser's switching pulse trigger turns on the pulse switch through the trigger signal line, and the energy storage capacitor group and the reverse capacitor group start discharging simultaneously, forming a discharge channel between the discharge surface of the cathode and the discharge surface of the anode. The laser working gas of the laser generates a large-volume uniform glow discharge in the discharge channel, providing a gain medium for laser generation.

9. The charging and discharging method of the energy storage and discharging device of the laser according to claim 8, characterized in that, In step S3, the high-voltage power supply is activated, and the current is split into two charging paths via the charging connection board: Energy storage capacitor charging path: Current flows out from the charging connection plate, flows through the energy storage capacitor group, cathode connection plate, charging and discharging inductor group, grounding connection plate in sequence, and finally flows back to the high voltage power supply through the support frame; Reverse capacitor charging path: The current flows from the charging connection plate through the reverse capacitor group and the grounding connection plate in sequence, and finally flows back to the high voltage power supply through the support frame.

10. The charging and discharging method of the energy storage and discharging device of the laser according to claim 8, characterized in that, In step S4, the discharge path of the reverse capacitor is as follows: from the lower terminal of the reverse capacitor to the charging connection board, then to the pulse switch, through the switch ground plane to the grounding connection board, and finally back to the upper terminal of the reverse capacitor. The discharge path of the energy storage capacitor: The current flows from the upper terminal of the energy storage capacitor through the following in sequence: charging connection plate, pulse switch, switch ground plate, ground connection plate, charging and discharging inductor, cathode connection plate, and finally returns to the lower terminal of the energy storage capacitor. During this process, two parallel conductive channels are formed in the discharge path starting from the grounding connection plate: The first conductive path is as follows: the current flows sequentially through the side plate in the support frame, the anode electrical connection plate, the anode, and through the glow discharge between the anode and the cathode to the cathode, and then returns to the lower terminal of the energy storage capacitor through the cathode electrical connection plate. The second conductive path is as follows: the current flows sequentially through the charging / discharging inductor and the cathode connecting plate, and returns to the lower terminal of the energy storage capacitor.

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