Abstract: The development of a new modular CO$-2$/-laser with integrated gas-flow system and rf excitation has been successfully completed with models of 600 W, 1 kW, and 1.5 kW going into production now. Furthermore, a prototype model of a scaled-up version of this laser has been developed. The output power is 3 kW with a highly uniform and stable distribution of the power over the 32-mm-$Phi output aperture. The radially symmetric gain distribution is due to the excitation system which employs two transverse double-helical electrodes on the outside of each discharge tube. The 3-kW laser uses a total of 6 discharge sections (L $EQ 300 mm, $Phi $EQ 35 mm), each of which has its own gas-cooling system and rf generator. This modular approach makes it possible to easily add more discharge units in order to increase the output-power capability. The rf generators are mounted in the direct vicinity of the discharge sections. This fact together with the very compact gas-flow system permits the separation of the laser-head from the auxiliary equipment, such as power-transformer, gas-handling, micro- processor-control. The weight of the laser-head is low enough to allow for the mounting on moving machine parts, e.g., the bridge of a gantry machine with a large cutting area.!
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