Laser beam device and laser beam hand piece having same

The present invention relates to a laser beam device and a laser beam hand piece having same, the laser beam device outputting a laser beam that is polarized and has high output energy. The laser beam device, according to the present invention, comprises: a light source unit emitting a pumping light; a first optical unit generating a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit; and a second optical unit amplifying the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit. Accordingly, a compact structure and the outputting of a polarized laser beam having amplified output energy may be enabled, and thus the size and manufacturing costs of the laser beam device and the laser beam hand piece having same may be reduced.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present specification is a U.S. National Stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2017/004550 filed Apr. 28, 2017, which claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0053056 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Apr. 29, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a laser beam device and a laser beam hand piece having the same, and more particularly, to a laser beam device and a laser beam hand piece having the same for generating and emitting a medical laser beam.

BACKGROUND ART

A laser beam device has three excellent characteristics including monochromatic, coherence, and collimation as compared with general nature light and light emitted from a lamp.

The laser beam has excellent characteristics of monochromatic, coherence, and collimation to have been widely used in various industrial fields, and usability of the laser beam has been increased. For example, the laser beam device has been increasingly used in various industrial fields such as a metal industry, a construction industry, a shipbuilding industry and a medical industry. In particular, the laser beam has been used in various human tissues such as skin and eyeball in a medical field according to increased efficiency of the laser beam.

Here, a wavelength band, a pulse width, and output energy of the laser beam used in various human tissues are selectively used according to a use purpose and a polarized laser beam is widely used for the medical purpose. For example, a laser beam used for skin cure or improvement purpose is gripped and used by a practitioner in a laser beam hand piece scheme.

Meanwhile, the laser beam hand piece includes a hand piece generally gripped by a practitioner, a light source such as a laser diode connected to the hand piece, and an optical means received in the hand piece to optically process a laser beam generated from the light source to emit the laser beam to an outside.

However, a polarizing means for polarizing a laser beam provided from the light source should be included in order to be used for a medical purpose used in an existing laser beam hand pieced. Accordingly, the entire length or size of the optical means is generally increased and alignment of the laser beam may be changed due to heat of the laser beam.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

An embodiment of the present invention provides a laser beam device and a laser beam hand piece having the same having a compact structure capable of outputting a polarized laser beam.

Furthermore, an embodiment of the present invention provides a laser beam device and a laser beam hand piece having the same capable of outputting a laser beam of a wavelength band and output energy according to a cure purpose.

Technical Solution

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laser beam device including: a light source unit emitting a pumping light; a first optical unit generating a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit; and a second optical unit amplifying the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit.

The second optical unit may be disposed between the light source unit and the first optical unit, and a focus of the pumping light emitted from the light source unit may be formed inside the first optical unit.

The pumping light emitted from the light source unit may be partially absorbed in the second optical unit and may be focused in the first optical unit according to a location of the focus.

The pumping light emitted from the light source unit may be absorbed relatively more than the second optical unit by the first optical unit.

A first wavelength pumping light emitted from the light source unit may be generated by the first optical unit and the second optical unit.

An input surface of the second optical unit to which the first wavelength pumping light is input may have a transmittance higher than the first wavelength pumping light and a reflectivity higher than the second wavelength laser beam.

The laser beam device may further include a third optical unit disposed oppositely to the second optical unit while interposing the first optical unit320therebetween to resonate a laser beam so that the laser beam is oscillated from the laser beam device.

The laser beam device may further include a fourth optical unit disposed between the first optical unit and the third optical unit to switch a pulse width of a laser beam resonating between the second optical unit and the third optical unit as a relatively short pulse width.

The first optical unit and the fourth optical unit may be anti-refection coated.

The first optical unit and the second optical unit may include Nd:YV04 and Nd:YAG, respectively.

The fourth optical unit may be configured by a Q-switcher.

A wavelength band of a laser beam generated from the first optical unit may be similar to a wavelength band of a laser beam generated from the second optical unit.

The first optical unit may have a pumping optical absorption characteristic having a high absorption rate with respect to a pumping light as compared with the second optical unit.

The first optical unit may be disposed between the light source unit and the second optical unit and may oscillate a laser beam which is polarized and amplified by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit.

The first optical unit may have a pumping optical absorption characteristic having a high absorption rate with respect to a pumping light as compared with the second optical unit.

A wavelength band of a laser beam generated from the first optical unit may be similar to a wavelength band of a laser beam generated from the second optical unit.

The first optical unit and the second optical unit may include Nd:YV04 and Nd:YAG, respectively.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laser beam hand piece including: a hand piece; and the laser beam device outputting a polarized laser beam to an outside of the hand piece.

The details of other embodiments are contained in the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Advantageous Effects

The laser beam device and the laser beam hand piece having the same according to the present invention have advantages as follows.

First, a compact structure and the outputting of a polarized laser beam having amplified output energy may be enabled, and thus the size and manufacturing costs of the laser beam device and the laser beam hand piece having same may be reduced.

Second, since a fourth optical unit is further disposed so that output energy is increased and a polarized laser beam may be switched, usability of the product may be increased by outputting a laser beam having a relatively short pulse width.

MODE FOR INVENTION

Hereinafter, a laser beam device and a laser beam handle piece having the same according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Before the description, although the laser beam device according to the present invention is described to be used in the laser beam hand piece, the laser beam device may be applied to various devices or systems in addition to the laser beam hand piece.

The similar components will be assigned with the similar reference numerals through the specification in the laser beam device and the laser beam hand piece having the same according to first to third embodiments of the present invention.

Further, since a pulse width of a second wavelength laser beam L2according to a second embodiment of the present invention differs from a pulse width of a first wavelength laser beam L1according to a first embodiment of the present invention, the first wavelength laser beam L1and the second wavelength laser beam L2will be assigned with different reference numerals.

Meanwhile, although a second wavelength laser beam L1is oscillated in a third embodiment of the present invention, a second wavelength laser beam L2may be oscillated by adding a fourth optical unit of a second embodiment.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of a laser beam hand piece according to a first embodiment of the present invention andFIG. 2is a schematic view illustrating a laser beam resonance configuration of a laser beam hand piece according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, a laser beam hand piece10according to a first embodiment of the present invention include a hand piece100and a laser beam device300. The hand piece100is received in the laser beam device300and is gripped by a practitioner. The hand piece100may has various shaped such as a hopper a section of which is gradually reduced from an upstream to a downstream or a barrel shape having a constant section.

A laser beam device300of a laser beam hand piece10according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a light source unit310, a first optical unit320, and a second optical unit330. The laser beam device300of a laser beam hand piece10according to a first embodiment of the present invention further includes a third optical unit350. The laser beam device300according to an embodiment of the present invention a light source unit310emitting a pumping light; a first optical unit320generating a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit; and a second optical unit330amplifying the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit. Here, although the light source unit310, the second optical unit330, and the first optical unit320are disposed in the order of the light source unit310, the second optical unit330, and the first optical unit320according to an emission direction of a pumping light in the first embodiment of the present invention, the disposal order of the first optical unit320the second optical unit330may be changed. If the disposal order of the first optical unit320the second optical unit330is changed, that is, if the light source unit310, the first optical unit320, and the second optical unit330are disposed in the order of the light source unit310, the first optical unit320, and the second optical unit330, a lens314of the light source unit310to be described below may be omitted.

The light source unit310generates and emits a pumping light into the hand piece100. The light source unit310is configured by an optical fiber or a laser diode (LD) array connected to one side of the hand piece100as an example of the present invention. The light source unit310may use various types of light sources to generate and emit a pumping light in addition to the optical fiber or the LD array.

The light source unit310includes a light source312and a lens314. The light source312emits a first wavelength pumping light P. As an embodiment of the present invention, the first wavelength pumping light P emitted from the light source312has a wavelength of 808 nm. Further, the first wavelength pumping light P emitted from the light source312has a micro-second pulse width as an example. Here, a wavelength and a pulse width of the first wavelength pumping light P emitted from the light source312is not limited to 808 nm and micro-second unit, respectively, but may be selectively changed.

The lens314focuses the pumping light provided from the light source312in a first optical unit320. The lens314has a convex shape to form a focus of the pumping light provided from the light source310into the first optical unit320. A shape of the lens314is not limited to the shape of a convex lens, and various lenses capable of forming a focus of the pumping light provided from the light source312in the first optical unit320can be used.

The first optical unit320generates a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit310. The first optical unit320includes Nd:YV04 as an example. Since the first optical unit320configured by Nd:YV04 has an absorption rate with respect to the pumping light being a pumping light absorption characteristic of about five times better than the second light source unit300configured by Nd:YAG to be described below, the overall device may be compactly configured. In addition, the first optical unit320has a wavelength absorption band wider than that of the second optical unit330. In particular, the first optical unit320generates a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the input pumping light. The first optical unit320essentially generates a second wavelength laser beam L1that is polarized by being pumped by a first wavelength pumping light provided from the light source unit310.

As described above, the first optical unit320may generate the laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the incident pumping light so that the laser beam device300according to the present invention to output a polarized laser beam without a polarizing means such as a polarizer. Here, the first optical unit320is anti-refection coated so that a laser beam may resonate between a second input surface333of the second optical unit330and a third input surface353of the third optical unit350.

The second optical unit330amplifies the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit320. In detail, the second optical unit330amplifies output energy of the polarized laser beam when the polarized laser beam generated from the first optical unit320is reflected and provided by the third optical unit350. The second optical unit330generates a laser beam of output energy higher than that of the laser beam generated from the first optical unit320. The second optical unit330uses Nd:YAG in order to amplify output energy of the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit320. However, the second optical unit330may use an optical crystal having a similar optical characteristic in addition to Nd:YAG.

The second optical unit330includes a second body331, a second input surface333, and a second output surface335. The second input surface333is provided to have a transmittance higher than that of the first wavelength pumping light P provided from the light source unit310and a reflectivity higher than that of the second wavelength laser beam L1. That is, the second wavelength laser beam L1resonates between the second input surface333of the second optical unit330and the third input surface353of the third optical unit350to be described below to oscillate through the third optical unit350.

Meanwhile, a wavelength band of a laser beam generated from the first optical unit320is similar to a wavelength band of a laser beam generated from the second optical unit330. That is, the laser beams from the first optical unit320and the second optical unit330are generated as the second wavelength laser beam L1, and the second wavelength laser beam L1has a wavelength band of 1064 nm. A wavelength of each laser beam generated from the first optical unit320and the second optical unit330may have various wavelength bands in addition to a wavelength band of 1064 nm.

A focus of the pumping light emitted from the light source unit310is formed inside the first optical unit320. That is, the pumping light emitted from the light source312of the light source unit310is formed inside the first optical unit320by the lens314. The pumping light emitted from the light source314is partially absorbed in the second optical unit330according to a location of a focus by the lens314and is focused in the first optical unit320. The pumping light emitted from the light source unit310is absorbed in the first optical unit320more than the second optical unit330. That is, the first optical unit320has a pumping optical absorption characteristic having a high absorption rate with respect to a pumping light as compared with the second optical unit330.

If a pumping optical absorption characteristic of the first optical unit320and the second optical unit330is considered, since the first optical unit has a higher absorption rate with respect to the pumping light as compared with the second optical unit, a pumping light not absorbed in the first optical unit330is absorbed in the first optical unit320to be polarized and the second wavelength laser beam L1having amplified output energy oscillates. In this case, as described above, it is preferred to maintain a threshold oscillation value so that a density of the pumping light from the second optical unit330is low in the second optical unit300or achieve a density so that oscillation of a higher degree is achieved by forming a focus of the pumping light P inside the first optical unit320. When the above condition is satisfied, the polarized second wavelength laser beam generated from the first optical unit320is outputted as the polarized second wavelength laser beam L1having a relatively increased output energy because the second optical unit330functions as an amplifier.

Next, the third optical unit350is disposed oppositely to the second optical unit330while interposing the first optical unit320therebetween. The third optical unit350resonates the second wavelength laser beam L1between the second optical unit330and the third optical unit350. The third optical unit350includes a third body351, a third input surface353, and a third output surface355.

The third input surface353resonates the second wavelength laser beam L1partially reflected with respect to the second wavelength laser beam L1between the second input surface333of the second optical unit330and the third input surface353. Moreover, the third output surface355is anti-refection coated with respect to the second wavelength laser beam L1.

An operation of the laser beam hand piece10according to the first embodiment of the present invention is as follows by the above configuration.

The light source unit310emits a first wavelength pumping light P into a hand piece100. A focus of the first wavelength pumping light P provided from the light source312is formed inside the first optical unit320by the lens314. Accordingly, a part of the first wavelength pumping light P is absorbed as the pumping light in the second optical unit330, and remaining pumping light is absorbed in the first optical unit320.

The first optical unit320generates a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit310, and a second optical unit330amplifies the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit320. That is, the polarized second wavelength laser beam L1generated from the first optical unit320resonates between the second input surface333of the second optical unit330and the third input surface353of the third optical unit350so that output energy is amplified and the second wavelength laser beam L1oscillates to the second output surface355of the third optical unit350.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 3is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of a laser beam hand piece according to a second embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 4is a schematic view illustrating a laser beam resonance configuration of a laser beam hand piece according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

As shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, the laser beam hand piece10according to the second embodiment of the present invention include a hand piece100and a laser beam device300. A laser beam device300of a laser beam hand piece10according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes a light source unit310, a first optical unit320, a second optical unit330, a third optical unit350and a fourth optical unit360. The laser beam hand piece10according to a second embodiment of the present invention further includes a fourth optical unit360as compared with the first embodiment. The light source unit310, the first optical unit320, the second optical unit330, and a first optical unit350are the same as those of the first embodiment, and thus the detailed description thereof is appropriately omitted.

The fourth optical unit360is disposed between the first optical unit320and the third optical unit350. The fourth optical unit360switches the second wavelength laser beam L2to a second wavelength laser beam L2so that a pulse width of the second wavelength laser beam L1resonating between the second optical unit330and the third optical unit350has a relatively short pulse width. As an embodiment of the present invention, the fourth optical unit360switches the second wavelength laser beam L1having a micro-second pulse width to the second wavelength laser beam L2having several pico-second (ps) to several hundreds nano-second (ns) pulse width. As an embodiment of the present invention, the second wavelength laser beam L1having a micro-second unit becomes a second wavelength laser beam L2having a pico-second to nano-second unit by the fourth optical unit360.

The fourth optical unit360is configured by a Q-switcher and includes Cr:YAG as an example. Although the above embodiment has described that the fourth optical unit360uses a passive Q-switcher such as Cr:YAG as an example of the present invention, an active Q-switcher such as a pockels cell may be used. The fourth optical unit360using the Cr:YAG is illustrative purpose only and various optical crystals for switching the second wavelength laser beam L1to a relatively short pulse width may be used. As in the first optical unit320, the fourth optical unit360is anti-refection coated so that a laser beam may resonate between the second input surface333of the second optical unit330and the third input surface353of the fourth optical unit350.

An operation of the laser beam hand piece10according to the second embodiment of the present invention is as follows by the above configuration.

The light source unit310emits a first wavelength pumping light P into the hand piece100. A focus of the first wavelength pumping light P provided from the light source312is formed inside the first optical unit320. Accordingly, a part of the first wavelength pumping light P is absorbed as the pumping light in the second optical unit330, and remaining pumping light is absorbed in the first optical unit320.

The first optical unit320generates a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit310. The second optical unit330amplifies the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit320. The second wavelength laser beam L1is provided to the fourth optical unit360. The fourth optical unit360switches a pulse width of the second wavelength laser beam L1to a second wavelength laser beam L2having a relatively short pulse width.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 5is a schematic view illustrating a laser beam resonance configuration of a laser beam hand piece according to a third embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 6is a schematic view illustrating a laser beam resonance configuration of a laser beam hand piece according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

As shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 6, the laser beam hand piece according to the third embodiment of the present invention include a hand piece100and a laser beam device300. A laser beam device300of a laser beam hand piece10according to a third embodiment of the present invention includes a light source unit310, a first optical unit320, and a second optical unit330. The laser beam device300according to the third embodiment of the present invention further includes a third optical unit350.

The laser beam device300according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a light source unit310emitting a pumping light, a first optical unit320generating a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit310, and a second optical unit330amplifies the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit320. Here, in the third embodiment of the present invention, the light source unit310, the first optical unit320, and the second optical unit330are disposed in the order of the light source unit310, the first optical unit320, and the second optical unit330according to an emission direction of the pumping light. That is, unlike the first embodiment of the present invention, the locations of the first optical unit320, and the second optical unit330are changed to each other in the third embodiment of the present invention.

According to disposal locations of the first optical unit320, and the second optical unit330, the light source unit310of the third embodiment of the present invention does not need an optical structure for forming a focus inside the first optical unit unlike the first embodiment of the present invention.

The first optical unit320generates a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit310. The first optical unit320includes Nd:YV04 as an example. Since the first optical unit320configured by Nd:YV04 has an absorption rate with respect to the pumping light being a pumping light absorption characteristic of about five times better than the second light source unit300configured by Nd:YAG to be described below, the overall device may be compactly configured. In addition, the first optical unit320has a wavelength absorption band wider than that of the second optical unit330. In particular, the first optical unit320generates a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the incident pumping light. The first optical unit320essentially generates a second wavelength laser beam L1that is polarized by being pumped by a first wavelength pumping light provided from the light source unit310.

As described above, the first optical unit320generates the laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the incident pumping light so that the laser beam device300according to the present invention may output a polarized laser beam without a polarizing means such as a polarizer. Here, the first optical unit320includes a first body321, a first input surface323, and a first output surface325. The first input surface323is provided to have a transmittance higher than the first wavelength pumping light P provided from the light source unit310and a reflectivity higher than the second wavelength laser beam L1. That is, the second wavelength laser beam L1resonates between the first input surface323of the first optical unit320and the third input surface353of the third optical unit350to be described below and oscillates through the third optical unit350.

The second optical unit330amplifies the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit320. The second optical unit330generates a laser beam of output energy higher than that of the laser beam generated from the first optical unit320. The second optical unit330uses Nd:YAG in order to amplify output energy of the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit320. However, the second optical unit330may use an optical crystal having a similar optical characteristic in addition to Nd:YAG. Here, the second optical unit330is anti-refection coated so that a laser beam may resonate between a first input surface323of the first optical unit320and a third input surface353of the third optical unit350.

Meanwhile, a wavelength band of a laser beam generated from the first optical unit320is similar to a wavelength band of a laser beam generated from the second optical unit330. That is, the laser beams from the first optical unit320and the second optical unit330are generated as the second wavelength laser beam L1, and the second wavelength laser beam L1has a wavelength band of 1064 nm. A wavelength of each laser beam generated from the first optical unit320and the second optical unit330may have various wavelength bands in addition to a wavelength band of 1064 nm.

Next, the third optical unit350is disposed oppositely to the second optical unit330while interposing the first optical unit320therebetween. The third optical unit350resonates the second wavelength laser beam L1between the second optical unit330and the third optical unit350. The third optical unit350includes a third body351, a third input surface353, and a third output surface355.

The third input surface353resonates the second wavelength laser beam L1partially reflected with respect to the second wavelength laser beam L1between the second input surface333of the second optical unit330and the third input surface353. Moreover, the third output surface355is anti-refection coated with respect to the second wavelength laser beam L1.

An operation of the laser beam hand piece10according to the third embodiment of the present invention is as follows by the above configuration.

The light source unit310emits a first wavelength pumping light P into a hand piece100. The first optical unit320generates a laser beam that is polarized by being pumped by the pumping light provided from the light source unit310, and a second optical unit330amplifies the polarized laser beam provided from the first optical unit320. That is, the polarized second wavelength laser beam L1generated from the first optical unit320resonates between the first input surface323of the first optical unit320and the third input surface353of the third optical unit350so that output energy is amplified and the second wavelength laser beam L1oscillates to the second output surface355of the third optical unit350.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

A compact structure and the outputting of a polarized laser beam having amplified output energy may be enabled, and thus the size and manufacturing costs of the laser beam device and the laser beam hand piece having same may be reduced.

Since a fourth optical unit is further disposed so that output energy is increased and a polarized laser beam may be switched, usability of the product may be increased by outputting a laser beam having a relatively short pulse width.