Beam shutter for excimer laser

US6493364B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Lambda Physik AG · DE

Inventors

• Jurgen Baumler · Osterode, DE
• Ulrich Rebhan · Göttingen, DE
• Markus Ritcher · Göttingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 30, 1999
• Grant date: Dec 10, 2002
• Expiry date: Dec 30, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/225
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A beam shutter apparatus designed to handle high powered UV radiation is disclosed. The shutter includes a high reflectivity mirror mounted on a plate which can be rotated between a first position where the beam is reflected and redirected to a tool such as a beam dump and a second position where the beam is free to pass out of the laser, where the beam is free to pass out of the laser The shutter includes a support base with an angled upper surface upon which the mirror plate rests when in the second position. The support base has a beam path channel designed so that a beam can pass through the support base and out of the shutter when the mirrored plate is in the first position. The mirrored plate is rotated by a linkage, which is driven by an electrically powered actuator on a rotational magnet. The support base is machined out of a monolithic piece of metal allowing very high precision without the need for cumbersome alignment procedures.