Laser processing method and laser processing system

Abstract

The disclosed invention relates to a method of realizing a laser processing system. The laser processing system includes a flashlamp-pumped pulsed iodine laser oscillator that generates a laser pulse, the flashlamp pumped pulsed iodine laser oscillator being a master oscillator of a MOPA system; and a chemical oxygen-iodine laser amplifier that amplifies a double pulse, the chemical oxygen-iodine laser amplifier being a power amplifier of the MOPA system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laser processing system, comprising;
 a flashlamp-pumped pulsed iodine laser oscillator that generates a laser pulse, the flashlamp-pumped pulsed iodine laser oscillator being a master oscillator of a MOPA system; and   a chemical oxygen-iodine laser amplifier that amplifies a double pulse, the chemical oxygen-iodine laser amplifier being a power amplifier of the MOPA system.   
     
     
         2 . The laser processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flashlamp-pumped pulsed iodine laser oscillator generates the double pulse, and
 wherein after the chemical oxygen-iodine laser amplifier amplifies a first pulse of the double pulse, the chemical oxygen-iodine laser amplifier amplifies a second pulse of the double pules.   
     
     
         3 . The laser processing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the flashlamp-pumped pulsed iodine laser oscillator includes a first flashlamp and a second flashlamp,
 wherein the first pulse is generated by a flash of the first flashlamp, and   wherein the second pulse is generated by a flash of the second flash lamp after the first pulse is generated.   
     
     
         4 . The laser processing system according to  claim 3 , wherein the chemical oxygen-iodine laser amplifier includes a singlet oxygen generator that generates a singlet oxygen and an amplifier chamber that contains the singlet oxygen,
 wherein the laser processing system includes a pressure gauge that monitors an oxygen pressure of the amplifier chamber, and   wherein a timing of the flash of the first flashlamp is controlled based on the oxygen pressure.   
     
     
         5 . The laser processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein the iodine pressure of the amplifier chamber when the second pulse enters the amplifier chamber is higher than the iodine pressure of the amplifier chamber when the first pulse enters the amplifier chamber. 
     
     
         6 . A laser processing method using a MOPA system, the method comprising;
 generating a laser pulse by a flashlamp pumped pulsed iodine laser oscillator as a master oscillator of the MOPA system; and   amplifying a double pulse by a chemical oxygen-iodine laser amplifier as a power amplifier of the MOPA system.   
     
     
         7 . The laser processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein a first pulse of the double pulse is generated by a first flashlamp-pumped iodine laser oscillator,
 wherein a second pulse of the double pulse is generated by a second flashlamp-pumped iodine laser oscillator, and   wherein the first flashlamp-pumped iodine laser oscillator selects oscillation lines to be F′=2 ( 2 P 1/2 ) for an upper level of iodine laser transitions.   
     
     
         8 . The laser processing system according to  claim 7 , wherein the second flashlamp-pumped iodine laser oscillator selects oscillation lines to be F′=3 ( 2 P 1/2 ) for an upper level of the iodine laser transitions.