Device for quantum beam generation, method for quantum beam generation, and device for laser fusion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10134492-B2
Application number	US-201314646765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2013
Priority date	Nov 27, 2012
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

The device has a target supply unit 4 a for supplying a target 2 a to a chamber 3 a , a target monitor 5 a for monitoring the target 2 a present inside the chamber 3 a , a laser light irradiator 6 a for irradiating the target 2 a present inside the chamber 3 a , with laser light 8 a , and a controller 7 a . The target supply unit 4 a emits the target 2 a at a timing for emitting, that is controlled by the controller 7 a , into a preset emission direction 3 d inside the chamber 3 a , and the controller 7 a calculates an irradiation point 4 d with the laser light 8 a , calculates a timing for arriving of the target 2 a at the irradiation point 4 d , and makes the laser light irradiator 6 a irradiate the target with the laser light, based on the irradiation point 4 d and the timing for arriving.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for quantum beam generation, comprising:
a chamber for a target to induce a quantum beam generation reaction;
a target supply unit that supplies the target to the chamber;
a target monitor that monitors the target present inside the chamber;
a laser light irradiator that irradiates the target present inside the chamber, with laser light; and
a controller that controls the target supply unit and the laser light irradiator, based on the result of the monitoring by the target monitor,
wherein the target supply unit comprises an emission port that emits the target, and emits the target at a timing for emitting, that is controlled by the controller, into a preset emission direction inside the chamber from the emission port,
wherein the target monitor comprises a position detector and a time detector,
wherein the position detector detects a passing position of the target in a monitoring area and sends position information indicative of the passing position, to the controller,
wherein the monitoring area is preliminarily set at a position where the monitoring area intersects with the emission direction inside the chamber,
wherein the passing position indicates a position in a plane perpendicular to the emission direction,
wherein the time detector measures an entrance time when the target enters the monitoring area and an exit time when the target exits the monitoring area, and sends entrance time information indicative of the entrance time and exit time information indicative of the exit time, to the controller,
wherein the laser light irradiator comprises a laser light output unit and a condensing optical unit,
wherein the laser light output unit outputs laser light under control of the controller,
wherein the condensing optical unit condenses the laser light output from the laser light output unit, based on control by the controller,
wherein the controller calculates an irradiation point with the laser light, using the position information, sends condensing control information based on the irradiation point to the condensing optical unit, calculates a timing for arriving of the target at the irradiation point, using a width of the monitoring area, the entrance time information, the exit time information, and a distance from the monitoring area to the irradiation point, and sends laser control information based on the timing for arriving, to the laser light output unit,
wherein the condensing control information is information for controlling the condensing optical unit so as to condense the laser light from the laser light output unit to the irradiation point,
wherein the laser control information is information for controlling the laser light output unit so as to output the laser light at the timing for arriving,
wherein the target supply unit comprises a support table, a disc, a tank, and a driver,
wherein the support table comprises a principal surface, a back surface, and an emission hole,
wherein the emission hole has a diameter enough for the target to pass, has the emission port, and penetrates from the principal surface to the back surface,
wherein the disc comprises a plurality of through holes at preset intervals along an edge of the disc,
wherein a center of the disc is held rotatable with respect to the principal surface so that the through hole can overlap with emission hole,
wherein the through holes can enclose the targets on the principal surface,
wherein the tank comprises a main body and a supply tube and is arranged above the disc,
wherein the main body can store a plurality of the targets,
wherein the supply tube has a diameter enough for the target to pass, is connected to the main body, and is arranged above a circumference passing centers of all the through holes,
wherein the driver comprises a rotary shaft and motor,
wherein the rotary shaft is fixed to the disc at the center at the disc and is rotatable along with the disc,
wherein the motor is connected to the rotary shaft and rotates the rotary shaft under control of the controller,
wherein the driver comprises a sensor,
wherein the sensor detects the number of rotations of the rotary shaft and a rotational position of the rotary shaft, and sends to the controller, rotation information indicative of the number of rotations and the rotational position,
wherein the controller controls rotary motion of the disc based on the rotation information,
wherein the target supply unit comprises an emission assist,
wherein the emission assist is arranged above the emission hole can press the target present at the emission hole toward the emission direction under control of the controller,
wherein the controller calculates a timing for pressing when the through hole of the disc overlaps with the emission hole with rotation of the disc, based on the rotation information, and sends press control information based on timing for pressing, to the emission assist, and
wherein the press control information is information for controlling the emission assist so as to press the target at the timing for pressing.

2. The device for quantum beam generation according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the target supply unit so as to sequentially emit a plurality of the targets at periodic intervals from the emission port.

Assignees

• Hamamatsu Photonics Kk
• The Graduate School For The Creation Of New Photonics Ind
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sekine Takashi
• Kawashima Toshiyuki
• Satoh Nakahiro
• Kitagawa Yoneyoshi
• Mori Yoshitaka
• Ishii Katsuhiro
• Hanayama Ryohei
• Komeda Osamu
• Nishimura Yasuhiko
• Kakeno Mitsutaka

Classifications

• G21K5/04 Primary

  with beam-forming means · CPC title

• G21K5/10

  with provision for relative movement of beam source and object to be irradiated · CPC title

• G03F7/70033

  by plasma extreme ultraviolet [EUV] sources · CPC title

• G21B1/23 Primary

  Optical systems, e.g. for irradiating targets, for heating plasma or for plasma diagnostics · CPC title

• G21B1/03

  with inertial plasma confinement · CPC title