Cynosure Acclaim 7000, Technical Manual

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Apogee Elite/Apogee 5500/Acclaim 7000 850-1257-000, Rev. 2 Page 23 of 70
Technical Guide
Laser Head(s)
The laser head or pump chamber is the diffuse reflector that couples the light energy from the
flashlamps into the solid state laser crystal. This assembly consists of a two-piece main body and
end plates that secure and seal the precision glass flow tubes. The flashlamp and rod keepers are
secured to the end plates to provide fluid seals. The upper half of the pump chamber can be
removed for a visual inspection of the diffuse reflective coating and flow tubes. The laser head is
not considered a field serviceable item and must be replaced as an assembly.
Flashlamps
The two flashlamps (per head) emit brief, intense bursts of white light when excited by pulses of
electrical current. This intense light provides the pump energy source for the lasing medium. The
anode or positive lead is identified by a crimp lug on the wire. Always use finger cots when
handling or cleaning the flashlamps.
Laser Rod
The Alexandrite crystal in the Apogee 5500 and the Neodymium:YAG crystal in the Acclaim
7000 is the active medium that is pumped by the flashlamps. The Apogee Elite system has two
heads to attain both wavelengths. The Alexandrite rod ends are coated for maximum and partial
reflectivity @ 755 nm. There are no external optics required for lasing action. The Nd:YAG rod
has an anti-reflective (AR) coating @ 1064 nm at one end and is uncoated on the other end. An
external maximum reflector is used to complete the optical cavity.
CAUTION: Damage to both the coated or uncoated surfaces can occur from a single speck
of dust or smudge resulting in poor laser performance or further system damage. Be
extremely careful when handling these fragile, expensive crystals.
Rear Total Reflector, Nd: YAG
NOTE: This section is for Nd: YAG lasers only.
The rear total (max) reflector, is the back half of the optical cavity see Figures 8A, 8B and 8C .
It reflects all 1064nm light that strikes the mirror face. The mirror, when mounted, tilts on two
orthogonal axes. For the laser to function properly, it must be absolutely parallel to the front
partial reflector (uncoated surface of the Nd:YAG rod), and perpendicular to the axis of the
Nd:YAG rod. This reflector may require adjustment after replacement of the flashlamps or
pump chamber.
Safety Shutter
The safety shutter, see Figures 8B and 8C , physically blocks the laser beam until the shutter
solenoid is activated. A sensor located on the shutter assembly is used to determine the correct
position of the shutter blade at all times. The microprocessor monitors the shutter state to ensure
laser safety.