Method and apparatus for reduction of spectral fluctuations

US6792023B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Lambda Physik AG · DE

Inventors

• Juergen Kleinschmidt · Oettingen, DE
• Peter Lokai · Oettingen, DE
• Konstantin Aab · Kassel, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 28, 2002
• Grant date: Sep 14, 2004
• Expiry date: Mar 28, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/1062
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An excimer or molecular fluorine laser system includes a laser chamber filled with a gas mixture at least including a halogen-containing species and a buffer gas, multiple electrodes, including a pair of main discharge electrodes and at least one preionization electrode, within the laser chamber and connected to a discharge circuit for energizing the gas mixture, and a resonator including a line-narrowing and/or selection module for generating a laser beam at high spectral purity. The line-narrowing module includes one or more line-narrowing and/or selection optics within a sealed module coupled to vacuum equipment through a vacuum port for reducing the pressure within the module,