Variable beam expander laser system for silver nanoparticle extraction

Abstract

To provide a variable beam expander laser device for silver nanoparticle extraction, configured to expand a narrow beam output from an ultraviolet laser into a large-diameter beam to irradiate a wide area. [Solution] A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles is provided, comprising a light source unit that outputs an ultraviolet laser, a first lens group into which the output beam of the light source unit is incident and which has negative refractive power, a second lens group positioned behind the first lens group so as to be movable along the optical axis and which varies the diameter of the output beam, a third lens group which corrects the parallelism of the output beam which fluctuates in accordance with the movement of the second lens group, and a housing that houses the first to third lenses group and has a fixed outer length, characterized in that the first to third lenses group are arranged so as to diverge the incident beam and expand it into parallel light. The apparatus uniformly irradiates a reaction solution containing metal ions by varying the beam magnification while expanding a narrow ultraviolet beam into a large-diameter parallel light.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles, and more specifically, to a variable beam expander laser apparatus used for extracting silver nanoparticles through a photoreduction reaction by varying the magnification of the beam while expanding the diameter of the beam output from an ultraviolet laser, correcting the expanded beam into parallel light, and irradiating the reaction solution containing metal ions with the corrected parallel light. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In recent years, as the number of solar modules discarded after use increases sharply, the importance of technologies for recovering valuable metals such as silver contained in waste solar modules has been growing.

[0003] As one of the methods for recovering silver, a technique is known in which a solution containing metal ions is irradiated with a laser to cause a photoreduction reaction, so that the metal ions are reduced to metal nanoparticles and extracted.

[0004] In such a photoreduction method, uniformly irradiating the reaction solution with a laser beam over a large area is an important factor that determines the reduction yield and reproducibility.

[0005] However, the ultraviolet laser used for the photoreduction reaction has a problem that the diameter of the output beam is as narrow as several millimeters, the beam is locally concentrated, the irradiation area is small, and the reaction becomes non-uniform.

[0006] Accordingly, an optical system such as a beam expander for expanding the diameter of the laser beam is required, and various techniques for controlling the shape and size of the laser beam have been proposed.

[0007] For example, various techniques are known for irradiating laser beams and controlling the shape and size of laser beams. Techniques for adjusting magnification using zoom optics and collimating optics for forming parallel light are well known, as is the technique of irradiating solutions with pulsed lasers for processing.

[0008] On the other hand, prior art relating to a lens system for varying the size of a laser beam can be found in Patent Document 1: Published Patent No. 10-2008-0099582.

[0009] This prior art discloses a lens system that uses a collimator and a beam expander to vary the beam size of an infrared laser.

[0010] However, this prior art beam expander is limited to a two-lens group structure consisting of a divergent lens and a convex lens, and therefore does not have a means to separately correct the parallelism of the output beam, which fluctuates during the process of changing the beam size.

[0011] Consequently, changing the magnification disrupts the parallelism of the output beam, causing it to spread or lose uniformity depending on the distance, which is a limiting factor.

[0012] Furthermore, since this prior art deals with infrared lasers, it does not take into account the problem of optical instability that can occur when handling ultraviolet lasers, which are suitable for photoreduction reactions, at high power, due to the beam being locally focused along the optical path.

[0013] Furthermore, conventional beam-expanding optical systems, including the aforementioned prior art, are not optimized for applications such as obtaining a solution containing silver ions from waste solar modules and extracting silver nanoparticles by photoreduction of the solution. They have limitations in stably expanding a narrow ultraviolet beam into a large-aperture parallel beam while varying the beam magnification.

[0014] Therefore, there is a need for a beam expander optical system that can expand a narrow input beam of an ultraviolet laser to a large aperture while varying the magnification, maintaining parallelism even when the magnification is changed, and stably expanding the beam in a divergent state. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0015] [Patent Document 1] Korean Published Patent No. 10-2008-0099582 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0016] This invention was invented to improve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a variable beam expander laser device for silver nanoparticle extraction that can expand a narrow beam output from an ultraviolet laser into a large-diameter beam to irradiate a wide area.

[0017] The present invention aims to provide a variable beam expander laser apparatus for silver nanoparticle extraction that can vary the diameter of the output beam by moving a portion of the lens group arranged on the beam path along the optical axis.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a variable beam expander laser apparatus for silver nanoparticle extraction that can stably output parallel light by correcting the parallelism of the output beam, which fluctuates during the process of varying the beam diameter.

[0019] The present invention aims to provide a variable beam expander laser apparatus for silver nanoparticle extraction that can stably handle high-energy ultraviolet lasers through an optical configuration that diverges the incident beam and expands it into parallel light.

[0020] It is an object of the present invention to provide a variable beam expander laser apparatus for silver nanoparticle extraction, which is capable of adjusting the magnification while maintaining a compact form without changing the volume of the entire apparatus by moving only a part of the lens groups inside a housing with a fixed outer dimension length.

[0021] It is an object of the present invention to provide a variable beam expander laser apparatus for silver nanoparticle extraction, which is provided with an adjusting unit for adjusting the position of the moving lens group and is capable of adjusting the magnification with only a simple operation.

[0022] It is an object of the present invention to provide a variable beam expander laser apparatus for silver nanoparticle extraction, which is capable of providing an ultraviolet pulse beam with high peak output through an oscillator that generates a pulse beam.

[0023] It is an object of the present invention to provide a variable beam expander laser apparatus for silver nanoparticle extraction, which is coupled to a reaction unit to which an expanded beam is irradiated and can be utilized in an extraction process. Means for Solving the Problems

[0024] In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a variable beam expander laser apparatus for silver nanoparticle extraction, comprising: a light source unit that outputs an ultraviolet laser; a first lens group having negative refractive power, on which an output beam from the light source unit is incident; a second lens group disposed movably along the optical axis behind the first lens group, and configured to vary the diameter of the output beam in accordance with the movement; a third lens group disposed behind the second lens group, and configured to correct the parallelism of the output beam that varies in accordance with the movement of the second lens group; and a housing that accommodates the first to third lens groups and has a fixed outer dimension length, wherein the first to third lens groups are arranged to diverge an incident beam and expand it into parallel light.

[0025] Here, the light source unit is characterized by comprising an ultraviolet laser that irradiates ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 355 nm.

[0026] In this case, the light source unit is characterized by comprising a Q-switch oscillator that generates a pulsed beam.

[0027] And, the first group lens and the third group lens are fixed relative to the housing, and only the second group lens moves along the optical axis.

[0028] And, the apparatus is characterized by further comprising an adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the second group lens.

[0029] And, the second group lens and the third group lens are characterized by having positive refractive power.

[0030] And, the diameter of the beam output from the third group lens is larger than the diameter of the beam incident from the light source unit.

[0031] And, the effective aperture of the third group lens is larger than the effective apertures of the first group lens and the second group lens.

[0032] Further, the third group lens is characterized by converting the beam that has passed through the second group lens into parallel light and outputting the parallel light.

[0033] Furthermore, the apparatus is characterized by further comprising a reaction unit to which the beam output from the housing is irradiated. Effects of the Invention

[0034] According to the present invention configured as described above, the following effects can be achieved.

[0035] First, the present invention has the feature of increasing the throughput per unit time and irradiation uniformity for the reaction solution by expanding the narrow beam output from the ultraviolet laser into a large-diameter beam and irradiating a wide area.

[0036] Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage of being able to flexibly accommodate a variety of irradiation areas and process conditions by moving a portion of the lens group along the optical axis on the beam path to vary the diameter of the output beam.

[0037] Furthermore, the present invention has the feature of suppressing beam spreading according to distance and transmitting uniform light intensity by correcting the parallelism of the output beam, which fluctuates during the process of varying the beam diameter, and outputting parallel light.

[0038] Furthermore, the present invention employs an optical arrangement that diverges the incident beam and expands it into parallel light, thereby maintaining an optically stable state along the beam path even when handling high-energy ultraviolet lasers.

[0039] Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage of adjusting the magnification while maintaining a compact form without changing the overall volume of the device, by moving only a portion of the lens group inside a housing with a fixed external length.

[0040] Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage of allowing for quick adjustment of magnification with simple operation by including an adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the moving lens group.

[0041] Furthermore, the present invention has the feature of transmitting a high-peak-power ultraviolet pulsed beam to a reaction solution by incorporating an oscillator that generates a pulsed beam. Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage of enabling the extraction process to be carried out consistently by coupling it with a reaction section to which an extended beam is irradiated. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0042] [Figure 1] A vertical cross-sectional diagram illustrating the optical system configuration of a variable beam expander laser device for silver nanoparticle extraction according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Ray tracing diagram illustrating the ray path of the beam passing through the beam expander section shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3]Figure 1 shows the variable magnification operation corresponding to the movement of the second lens group, illustrating the operation state in (a) low magnification state and (b) high magnification state. [Figure 4] This block diagram illustrates the overall system configuration in which the beam expander section shown in Figure 1 is coupled with the photoreduction reaction section. [Figure 5] A step flowchart illustrating the silver nanoparticle extraction process according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating a liquid level tracking mechanism for a reaction solution according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Plan view illustrating a rotating turret structure for sequentially irradiating multiple photoreduction reactors according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] A drawing illustrating a shutter and purge nozzle structure for protecting the exit surface of a third lens group according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] A drawing illustrating a thermal compensation spacer structure according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0043] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as methods for achieving them, will become clear when referring to the embodiments described in detail later with the accompanying drawings.

[0044] However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and can be implemented in a variety of different forms.

[0045] These embodiments provided herein are intended to complete the invention and to fully inform those skilled in the art of which the invention pertains.

[0046] Furthermore, the present invention is defined solely by the scope of the claims.

[0047] Therefore, in some embodiments, well-known components, well-known operations, and well-known techniques are not specifically described in order to avoid ambiguity in the present invention.

[0048] Furthermore, the same reference numerals throughout the specification refer to the same components, and the terms used (referred to) herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0049] In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless otherwise specified in the text, and the components and actions referred to as "including (or comprising)" do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components and actions.

[0050] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) are to be used in a sense that can be commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0051] Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should not be interpreted ideally or excessively unless otherwise defined.

[0052] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0053] First, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional diagram illustrating the optical system configuration of a variable beam expander laser apparatus for silver nanoparticle extraction according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 2 is a ray tracing diagram illustrating the ray path of the beam passing through the beam expander section shown in Figure 1.

[0055] Figure 3 is an operating state diagram illustrating the variable magnification operation corresponding to the movement of the second lens group shown in Figure 1, in (a) low magnification state and (b) high magnification state.

[0056] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the overall system configuration in which the beam expander section shown in Figure 1 is coupled with the photoreduction reaction section.

[0057] Furthermore, Figure 5 is a process flowchart illustrating the silver nanoparticle extraction process according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a liquid level tracking mechanism for a reaction solution according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating a rotating turret structure that sequentially irradiates multiple photoreduction reactors according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating a shutter and purge nozzle structure that protects the exit surface of the third lens group according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Furthermore, Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a thermal compensation spacer structure according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] The present invention may also apply to an embodiment comprising a light source unit 110, a first lens group 121, a second lens group 122, a third lens group 123, and a fixed housing 124, as shown in Figure 1.

[0063] The light source unit 110 is configured to output an ultraviolet laser and provides the beam to the input terminal of the beam expander unit 120.

[0064] The first lens group 121 receives the output beam from the light source unit 110, has a negative refractive power, and plays a role in diverging the incident beam.

[0065] The second lens group 122 is positioned behind the first lens group 121 so as to be movable along the optical axis, and the diameter of the output beam is varied according to the movement.

[0066] The third lens group 123 is positioned behind the second lens group 122 and corrects the parallelism of the output beam, which fluctuates in accordance with the movement of the second lens group 122.

[0067] The fixed housing 124 accommodates the first lens group 121 to the third lens group 123 and is formed so as to have a fixed outer length.

[0068] In this case, the first lens group 121 to the third lens group 123 are arranged to diverge the incident beam and expand it into parallel light, as shown in Figure 2. This optical arrangement corresponds to an afocal arrangement in which no actual focal point is formed on the incident beam path, and maintains an optically stable state on the beam path while expanding a narrow input beam into a large-aperture beam.

[0069] The present invention may be applied to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that it may also be applied to a variety of other embodiments as follows.

[0070] First, the light source unit 110 may be configured to include an ultraviolet laser 111 that irradiates ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 355 nm.

[0071] Ultraviolet light in the 355 nm wavelength band is advantageous for increasing the reduction efficiency of metal ions because it provides photon energy suitable for photoreduction reactions. However, the wavelength of the light source 110 is not limited to this, and can be modified and applied to wavelengths in other ultraviolet regions depending on the target of photoreduction.

[0072] On the other hand, the light source unit 110 may include a Q-switch oscillator 112 that generates a pulsed beam.

[0073] The Q-switching method generates a pulsed beam with high peak output, thereby transferring a large photon density to the reaction solution in a short time to promote the photoreduction reaction. The pulse repetition rate and pulse width may be adjusted according to the process conditions.

[0074] On the other hand, the first lens group 121 and the third lens group 123 may be fixed to the fixed housing 124, and only the second lens group 122 may be arranged to be movable along the optical axis.

[0075] By limiting the object of movement to a single second lens group 122, the drive structure for variable magnification becomes simpler, improving the alignment stability of the optical system. Figure 3 shows the operating state corresponding to the movement of the second lens group 122 in this manner.

[0076] On the other hand, the present invention may further include an adjustment unit 125 for adjusting the position of the second lens group 122.

[0077] The adjustment unit 125 may be provided so that an operator can manually adjust the position of the second lens group 122, or it may be modified to automatically adjust the position in cooperation with a drive source such as a motor as needed.

[0078] The transfer stem 1251 connects the adjustment unit 125 and the second lens group 122, and when the adjustment unit 125 is operated, the second lens group 122 is moved via this transfer stem 1251. It will begin to move in the direction of the optical axis.

[0079] On the other hand, the second lens group 122 and the third lens group 123 may be formed to have a positive refractive power.

[0080] The first lens group 121, which has negative refractive power, causes the beam to diverge first, and the second lens group 122 and third lens group 123, which have positive refractive power, then refocus the diverged beam and align it into parallel light. As a result, the beam can be expanded from a divergent state to parallel light without forming a real focal point on the beam path.

[0081] On the other hand, the diameter of the beam output from the third lens group 123 may be larger than the diameter of the beam incident from the light source unit 110.

[0082] In other words, the present invention increases the processing rate per unit time by expanding the irradiation area on the reaction solution by widening the narrow input beam to a wide output beam.

[0083] On the other hand, the effective aperture of the third lens group 123 may be larger than the effective aperture of the first lens group 121 and the second lens group 122.

[0084] As the expanded beam increases in diameter towards the output end, the effective aperture of the third lens group 123 located at the output end is increased to prevent the phenomenon of a portion of the beam being cut off.

[0085] On the other hand, the third lens group 123 may be configured to convert the beam that has passed through the second lens group 122 into parallel light and output it.

[0086] The beam output as parallel light exhibits minimal diameter variation with distance, which is advantageous for transmitting uniform light intensity to the surface and interior of the reaction solution.

[0087] On the other hand, the present invention may further include a reaction section 130 to which a beam output from the fixed housing 124 is irradiated. Figure 4 shows the overall configuration in which the beam expander section 120 is coupled with the reaction section 130, and Figure 5 shows the process in which the beam is irradiated onto the reaction section 130 and the process proceeds. To show the flow.

[0088] On the other hand, the first lens group 121 may be configured to have a focal length in the range of -10mm to -40mm, the second lens group 122 to have a focal length in the range of +30mm to +70mm, and the third lens group 123 to have a focal length in the range of +80mm to +250mm.

[0089] In one embodiment, the first lens group 121 may have a focal length of approximately -25 mm, the second lens group 122 approximately +50 mm, and the third lens group 123 approximately +100 mm to +200 mm. Such a combination of focal lengths is suitable for stably expanding a narrow ultraviolet beam while aligning it to parallel light.

[0090] On the other hand, the diameter of the beam incident from the light source 110 may be 6 mm to 8 mm, and the diameter of the beam output from the third lens group 123 may be formed to be 20 mm to 50 mm.

[0091] In other words, the present invention expands a narrow ultraviolet beam of a few millimeters into a large-diameter beam of several tens of millimeters to induce a uniform photoreduction reaction over a wide reaction area.

[0092] On the other hand, the effective aperture of the third lens group 123 may be formed to be 50.8 mm or larger, and it is preferable to use a large-diameter lens of the 2-inch class as the third lens group 123 so that the beam is not cut off even when the diameter of the output beam reaches a maximum of 50 mm.

[0093] On the other hand, the fixed housing 124 is formed as a fixed housing whose external length is kept constant, and its external length may be formed to be 180 mm to 190 mm.

[0094] Since only the internal second lens group 122 moves while the external length remains fixed, the magnification can be varied while maintaining a compact form without changing the overall volume of the device.

[0095] Meanwhile, the second lens group 122 moves between the first lens group 121 and the third lens group 123 to continuously vary the magnification of the output beam, and the third lens group 123 is configured to correct the parallelism of the beam, which fluctuates in accordance with the movement of the second lens group 122.

[0096] Consequently, the parallelism of the output beam is maintained even during the process of changing the magnification. Figures 3(a) and 3(b) show how parallel light is output in both the low and high magnification states, respectively. This combination of continuous variability and parallelism correction overcomes the limitations of conventional structures where parallelism decreases when the magnification is changed.

[0097] On the other hand, the first group lenses 121 to the third group lenses 123 may be arranged in a Galilean configuration to expand the incident beam into a divergent state, in which case an afocal arrangement is formed in which no actual focal point is formed on the beam path.

[0098] When a real focal point is formed on the beam path, there is a concern that the air may undergo dielectric breakdown or plasma may be generated at that point, damaging the optical system. However, by employing an afocal arrangement, this invention suppresses such phenomena on the beam path even when handling high-energy ultraviolet light, and Figure 2 shows a ray path in which the beam gradually expands along the optical axis.

[0099] On the other hand, the reaction section 130 may consist of a photoreduction reaction section 130 that includes an irradiation window 131 into which a beam output from the fixed housing 124 is incident, and a photoreduction reactor 132 that houses a reaction solution 133 containing metal ions. The irradiation window 131 is made of a material that transmits ultraviolet light and guides the beam into the photoreduction reactor 132.

[0100] Meanwhile, the reaction solution 133 contains silver ions, and silver nanoparticles are generated from the reaction solution 133 by a photoreduction reaction of an extended beam incident through the irradiation window 131. obtain.

[0101] Thus, the present invention can be used to extract silver nanoparticles by irradiating a silver ion solution recovered from waste solar modules with an extended ultraviolet beam, and by changing the type of reaction solution 133, it may also be modified and applied to extract other metal nanoparticles besides silver.

[0102] On the other hand, the extended beam output from the third lens group 123 is configured to irradiate the surface of the reaction solution 133 uniformly over a large area in the state of parallel light. Because the parallel light irradiates a wide area uniformly, localized overheating and reduction deviation of the reaction solution 133 are reduced, which is advantageous in obtaining nanoparticles of uniform particle size.

[0103] On the other hand, the adjustment unit 125 may include a linear movement mechanism that moves the second lens group 122 linearly along the optical axis direction. This linear movement mechanism is implemented as a screw transfer structure or a linear guide structure, and precisely moves the second lens group 122 along the optical axis to finely adjust the magnification.

[0104] On the other hand, the present invention may further include a float 134 that moves up and down according to the liquid level of the reaction solution 133, as shown in Figure 6, and a link mechanism 136 that adjusts the posture of a reflective mirror 135 that reflects the beam back onto the reaction solution 133 in conjunction with the movement of the float 134.

[0105] Even if the reaction solution 133 is consumed and the liquid level drops as the photoreduction reaction progresses, the float 134 and linkage mechanism 136 correct the attitude of the reflecting mirror 135 so that the beam always incident on the liquid surface under constant conditions.

[0106] Looking at this linkage mechanism 136 in more detail, it is as follows:

[0107] First, for adjusting the orientation of the reflective mirror 135, the reflective mirror 135 is pivotally supported by a mirror hinge 1352 via at least one mirror support bracket 1351.

[0108] Here, the link mechanism 136 is rotatably connected to the first link piece 1361 and the second link piece 1362.

[0109] In this case, one end of each of the first link piece 1361 and the second link piece 1362 is pivotally supported by the first link hinge 1364 via the link support bracket 1363.

[0110] The other end of the first link piece 1361 is rotatably supported by a second link hinge 1365, which is rotatably coupled to one side of the reflecting mirror 135.

[0111] Furthermore, the other end of the second link piece 1362 is rotatably supported by a third link hinge 1366 which is rotatably coupled to one side of the float 134.

[0112] On the other hand, the photoreduction reactor 132 may be provided in multiple units, and the present invention may further include a turret 140 that can rotate while circumferentially arranging multiple photoreduction reactors 132, as shown in Figure 7, and an indexing drive unit 141. The indexing drive unit 141 indexes and rotates the turret 140 by predetermined angles to sequentially move the multiple photoreduction reactors 132 to the beam irradiation position.

[0113] In this case, the turret 140 rotates around the drive shaft 143 connected to the indexing drive unit 141 as its center of rotation.

[0114] Since the beam expander section 120 is fixed and multiple photoreduction reactors 132 are irradiated sequentially, a large amount of reaction solution 133 can be processed continuously, increasing productivity.

[0115] On the other hand, the present invention may further include a shutter 127 that opens and closes the exit surface of the third lens group 123, as shown in Figure 8, and a purge nozzle 128 that sprays purge gas toward the exit surface.

[0116] In environments with ultraviolet light and suspended particles, the emission surface of the third lens group 123 is susceptible to contamination. However, when the beam is not irradiated, the shutter 127 covers the emission surface, and when the beam is irradiated, the purge nozzle 128 flows purge gas in front of the emission surface to suppress the adhesion of contaminating particles to the emission surface.

[0117] On the other hand, the present invention may include a spacer 129 that maintains the positions of the first lens group 121 and the third lens group 123 within the fixed housing 124, as shown in Figure 9. The spacer 129 may be composed of a first metal 1291 and a second metal 1292 having different coefficients of thermal expansion, combined in the longitudinal direction. The first metal 1291 may be Invar or stainless steel, which has a relatively small coefficient of thermal expansion, and the second metal 1292 may be aluminum or brass, which has a relatively large coefficient of thermal expansion.

[0118] Since the first lens group 121 and the third lens group 123 are fixed lens groups, even if the fixed housing 124 is heated by high-energy ultraviolet light, the displacements of the first metal 1291 and the second metal 1292, which have different coefficients of thermal expansion, cancel each other out, maintaining the positions of the first lens group 121 and the third lens group 123 constant, while the second lens group 122 moves freely between them.

[0119] On the other hand, for the moving second lens group 122, a reference member is provided in the linear movement mechanism that moves the second lens group 122 in the optical axis direction to define the reference position of the second lens group 122. The reference member is also constructed by combining two or more metal members with different coefficients of thermal expansion in the longitudinal direction, thereby compensating for the positional fluctuations of the second lens group 122 in response to temperature changes.

[0120] Accordingly, the present invention compensates for optical alignment disturbances in response to temperature changes for both the fixed lens group and the movable lens group, without the need for a separate power supply.

[0121] As described above, the basic technical concept of the present invention is to provide a variable beam expander laser device for silver nanoparticle extraction that has the function of expanding a narrow beam output from an ultraviolet laser into a large-diameter beam to irradiate a wide area.

[0122] Furthermore, it goes without saying that within the scope of the fundamental technical concept of the present invention, many other modifications and applications are possible for those with ordinary knowledge of the industry.

[0123] This application is based on a South Korean national research and development project supporting the invention described below. [Issue-specific number] 2410015458 [Issue Number] RS-2024-00418877 [Ministry in charge] Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Republic of Korea [Name of the specialized organization for project management] Korea Institute of Industrial Technology Planning and Evaluation [Research Project Name] Development of Materials and Components Technology (R&D) [Research Project Title] Core Technology Development of a Laser Device for Extracting Silver Nanoparticle Materials for High Value-Added Recycling of Waste Solar Modules [Research Institution Name] Reset Company, Limited [Research period] January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 [Explanation of Symbols]

[0124] 110 Light source section 111 UV laser 112 Q-switch oscillator 120 Beam Expander Section 121 Lens group 1 122 Lens group 2 123 Third group lens 124 Fixed Housing 125 Adjustment section 1251 Transfer Stem 127 Shutter 128 Purge Nozzle 129 Spacer 1291 First metal 1292 Second metal 130 Photoreduction reaction section 131 Irradiation window 132 Photoreduction Reactor 133 Reaction solution 134 Floats 135 Reflective Mirror 1351 Mirror support bracket 1352 Mirror Hinge 136 Link Mechanism 1361 First Link Piece 1362 Second Link Piece 1363 Link support bracket 1364 First Link Hinge 1365 Second Link Hinge 1366 Third Link Hinge 140 Turrets 141 Indexing drive unit 143 Drive shaft

Claims

1. A light source unit that emits an ultraviolet laser, The output beam of the light source unit is incident on a first lens group having negative refractive power, A second lens group is positioned behind the first lens group so as to be movable along the optical axis, and its movement causes the diameter of the output beam to vary; A third lens group is positioned behind the second lens group and corrects the parallelism of the output beam, which fluctuates in accordance with the movement of the second lens group. The device comprises a housing that accommodates the first to third lens groups and has a fixed external length, The first to third lens groups are arranged to diverge the incident beam and expand it into parallel light. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles, characterized by the following features.

2. The light source unit includes an ultraviolet laser that emits ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 355 nm. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles according to claim 1.

3. The light source unit includes a Q-switched oscillator that generates a pulsed beam. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles according to claim 1.

4. The first and third lens groups are fixed to the housing, and only the second lens group moves along the optical axis. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles according to claim 1.

5. The system further includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the second group of lenses. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles according to claim 4.

6. The second and third lens groups have positive refractive power. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles according to claim 1.

7. The diameter of the beam output from the third lens group is greater than the diameter of the beam incident from the light source. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles according to claim 1.

8. The effective aperture of the third lens group is larger than the effective apertures of the first and second lens groups. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles according to claim 1.

9. The third lens group converts the beam that has passed through the second lens group into parallel light and outputs it. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles according to claim 1.

10. The housing further comprises a reaction section to which a beam output from the housing is irradiated. A variable beam expander laser apparatus for extracting silver nanoparticles according to claim 1.

Images