Closed-loop purging system for laser
US6671303B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 10, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 30, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 10, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/09415
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method of operating a laser is disclosed. Components of the laser are located in an enclosure, which may contain contaminants including water vapor and organic vapor released by the optical components, mounts of the optical components, or the enclosure itself. The enclosure may also contain suspended particulate matter and ozone. In order to reduce the level of these contaminants, a purging system extracts gas from the enclosure and passes the gas through a catalyst to decompose the ozone, a desiccant, an organic vapor trapping material, and a particulate matter filter, then returns the extracted gas to the enclosure. Decomposing ozone is particularly important if the laser generates radiation at a wavelength less than 250 nm.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.