Nozzle assembly for gas-dynamic high efficiency lasers
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a nozzle assembly for gas-dynamic high efficiency lasers with a cooling system. Such lasers may be of the so-called continuous pulse or of the continuous wave type. 
     Nozzle assemblies which comprise a plurality of individual nozzle members or lamellae are already known as such. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,432 discloses a multiple nozzle arrangement for gas-dynamic lasers, wherein the individual nozzle members are arranged one upon the other in the flow canal. The nozzle members are held and fixed by means of setting pins. A cooling system for each individual nozzle member is not provided in U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,432. The disclosed support or holding means and the lack of sufficient cooling in said U.S. Patent do not permit, however, the maintaining of predetermined or optium nozzle contours, especially of the nozzle throat during continuous operation. However, maintaining the nozzle contours is important for assuring a satisfactory inversion in the laser gas and a prerequisite for an optimal parallel flow for producing an optimal laser beam. 
     A cooling system for a rod-shaped stimulatable solid state laser has been disclosed in German Patent Publication (DAS) No. 2,263,084. The excitation light source of this solid state laser is located in good thermal conducting contact with a cylindrical housing of a concave mirror reflector, which is itself located in a cooling circuit, and wherein the thermal conducting contact comprises a bank of leaf springs. This type of heat dissipation is, however, not usable for gas-dynamic lasers, not to mention the quite considerable weight increase. 
     A gas dynamic CO 2  laser has been disclosed in German Patent Publication (DOS) No. 2,241,428, the expansion device of which comprises a plurality of lamella-like, small Laval nozzles arranged in parallel to each other at a combustion chamber, and the support means of which have cooling canals which are in contact with the cooling canals of the individual lamellae. It has since been found that such a cooling system is not sufficient for a continuous operation of a high efficiency laser, because even a slight temperature rise of the lamellae causes a strong cross sectional change of the nozzle throat. This leads to the formation of varying nozzle canals or channels and hence to a non-parallel gas flow. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, it is the aim of the invention to achieve the following objects singly or in combination: 
     to provide a laser nozzle arrangement suitable for the continuous operation of high efficiency lasers and which prevents a change in the nozzle geometry or dimensions even at very high temperatures; 
     to provide a laser nozzle which assure a proper sealing to avoid leakage flows; and 
     to assure a proper separation between the high pressure portion and the low pressure portion of a laser. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A nozzle assembly according to the invention is constructed, so that each of the specially formed or shaped nozzle members combined in a holding block has, at the gas entry side, matching bodies with glide surfaces, which are in thermal contact with one another and which have a cooling canal system of their own which extends through the matching bodies and through the throat region of the nozzles. 
     It is now possible as a result of these features of the invention that any remaining thermal expansions of the system may occur without disturbing the surface relationship of the nozzle members, whereby large laser systems may now be constructed. Therefore, a near perfectly constant temperature prevails in and at each individual nozzle member and at the support means of each nozzle member. Hence, a predetermined operational nozzle throat width is kept practically constant in each nozzle member. 
     The system of the invention is further optimized by arranging the support or holding block of the nozzle members in the high pressure portion of the laser flow and by providing the holding block with end pieces for supporting the nozzle members, which end pieces allow for a longitudinal expansion of the nozzle members cross-wise to the flow direction. Further, the connection to a base plate and to a head molding is elastic due to plate springs and leaf springs arranged cross-wise. 
     A rather fault free sealing against leakage flows results from these features. In addition, the high pressure section is properly separated from the low pressure section according to the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF FIGURE DESCRIPTION 
     In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nozzle member according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a view of a nozzle assembly of the invention, partially in section, wherein a plurality of nozzle members forming a set are combined in the assembly; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the plane of section line 3--3 in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the plane of section line 4--4 in FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic laser housing showing the position of the nozzle assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 illustrate an example embodiment of the nozzle assembly 10 of the present invention comprising a plurality of specially formed and specially constructed nozzle members or so-called nozzle lamellae 11, as shown in the example embodiment of FIG. 1. Substantially, two-dimensional Laval nozzles are produced by these lamellae by arranging an appropriate desired number of nozzle lamellae in series or in a row. The lamellae 11 are provided for this purpose with matching spacer bodies 12 and 12&#39;, having contact surfaces 13 on opposite sides, said contact surfaces permitting a gliding movement between adjacent nozzle members. The matching bodies 12 have nozzle forming throat edges 15. Pairs of such edges 15 facing each other with a spacing therebetween define the opening of the nozzle throat 15&#39; proper. The spacer bodies 12, 12&#39; are provided with a coolant bore 14a and with a coolant flow-through tube 14. The bore 14a not only leads from the one matching spacer body 12 to the other matching spacer body 12&#39;, but an extension 14b reaches also to the region of the nozzle throat edge 15, in order to maintain a uniform temperature which lies below 400° C., especially in this region where the largest heat develops or occurs. Incidentally, the view of FIG. 2 is in a direction opposite to the flow direction 24 shown in FIG. 3. In other words, in FIG. 2 the flow moves out of the plane of the drawing toward the viewer. 
     By arranging the nozzle lamellae or members 11 against one another in a row, the matching spacer bodies 12, 12&#39; come into thermal contact with each other and cause, together with the coolant flow, a heat equilibrium or equalization, which leads to a uniform thermal expansion across the whole assembly 10 and thereby to a stabilization of the nozzle openings. Stated differently, the nozzle opening area is maintained constant. In order to optimize the heat equalization, the nozzle lamellae or members 11 are made of a material with good heat conducting and high strength quality, for example, a copper-cobalt-beryllium alloy. 
     The mounting and construction of the nozzle assembly of the invention is arranged so that the combustion chamber pressure acts upon the mounting block 10&#39; in such a way that all the nozzle lamellae or members 11 including the nozzle members at the end of the assembly, are simultaneously pressed together. For this purpose, the mounting block 10&#39; is housed and secured in the high pressure or combustion section of the laser as shown in FIG. 5, whereby the pressure in the combustion chamber helps tightly holding the nozzle members 11 in the mounting block 10&#39;. Lands 13a intermediate the contact or glide surfaces 13 on both sides of the nozzle member provide a continuous support in the same manner as the bodies 12, 12&#39;. Heretofore, the nozzle means were arranged exactly at the border between the high pressure section and the low pressure section. Contrary thereto, according to the invention the assembly 10 is housed entirely in the high pressure section of the laser. This feature of the invention has the advantage that it provides a much better sealing against leakage flows and to a precise division between the high and low pressure sections. 
     The mounting block 10&#39; comprises end pieces 16, a base plate 17 and a head molding 18. The end pieces 16 allow a longitudinal expansion cross-wise to the flow direction. Alignment pins 23 inserted in alignment holes 22 make sure that the elements 16, 17, and 18 are properly aligned relative to each other before bolts 29, 30 are tightened. Further, these end pieces 16 are elastically connected to the base plate 17 and to the head molding 18 by means of Belleville springs 19 and leaf springs 20 as shown in FIG. 4. The nozzle lamallae are placed upright in the mounting block 10&#39; and perpendicularly to the gas flow 24 as indicated in FIG. 3 whereby the nozzle throat edges 15 extend vertically. As shown in FIG. 2, each end piece 16 forms one half of a nozzle member for cooperation with the next adjacent full nozzle member 12 to form a full nozzle throat at each end of the assembly. 
     In order to minimize the surface boundary influence on the flow and in order to satisfactorily guide the flow in parallel paths, the invention provides that the individual lamellae or members 11 widen from the nozzle throat edges 15 outwardly toward the outer nozzle ridge 15a by a given angle α. Although this angle is small, it should be slightly less than 1°, it has a surprisingly good effect on the flow characteristics. 
     To further improve the efficiency of the nozzle assembly of the invention, it is suggested that the nozzle lamellae or members 11 and the coolant canals 14 and 14a are corrosion resistant. This may be accomplished by plating the outer surfaces, e.g., with copper, nickel, or gold. 
     The base plate 17 and the head molding 18 are provided with respective plate members 17a and 18a extending horizontally ar a right angle to the base plate 17 and the head molding 18. 
     The nozzle lamellae or members 11 are located between said plate members 17a and 18a forming the so-called resonator canal 21, which opens at the same angle α as the nozzle lamellae or members 11 thereby causing a boundary surface correction. 
     Referring again to FIG. 2, holes 25, 26, and 27, for example threaded holes, are provided for securing a nozzle assembly 10 in the high pressure section of a laser housing as shown in more detail in FIG. 5. Bores 28 are provided for the proper alignment and positioning of the assembly 10 with its mounting block 10&#39; in the laser housing. Threaded bolts 29 connect the base plate 17 to the end pieces 16. Threaded bolts 30 connect the head molding 18 to the end pieces 16 and to the base plate 17. 
     According to the invention it is now possible to produce a high efficiency, gas-dynamic laser which even during continuous operation at very high temperatures, does not exhibit any disturbance of the nozzle geometry and does not allow the forming of leakage flow canals. 
     FIG. 5 shows the embodiment of the assembly 10 in the laser housing, whereby the mounting block for the nozzle elements comprising the components 16, 17, 18 located in the high pressure section HP which is sealed by an annular gasket 32 from the low pressure section LP. The other end of the holding block 10 is connected to the diffuser 33. The combustion chamber 30 and the resonator chamber 31 form one housing on which a diffuser 33 is mounted. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it is to be understood, that it is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the appended claims.