Gas performance control system for gas discharge lasers

US6563853B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lambda Physik AG · DE

Inventors

• Peter Heist · Jena, DE
• Matthias Kramer · Bottrop, DE
• Juergen Kleinschmidt · Oettingen, DE
• Sergei V. Govorkov · Mountain View, US
• Marcus Serwazi · Gleichen, DE
• Thomas Jünemann · Renshausen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 24, 2001
• Grant date: May 13, 2003
• Expiry date: May 12, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/2258
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An excimer or molecular fluorine laser system includes a discharge chamber containing a gas mixture, multiple electrodes connected to a power supply circuit for energizing the gas mixture, a resonator for generating a laser beam, a processor, and means for monitoring an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) signal of the laser, such as preferably an ASE detector. The processor receives a signal from the preferred ASE detector indicative of the ASE signal of the laser. Based on the signal from the ASE detector, the processor determines whether to initiate a responsive action for adjusting a parameter of the laser system.