High power deep ultraviolet laser with long life optics
US6904073B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 8, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jun 7, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 10, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/2258
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides long life optics for a modular, high repetition rate, ultraviolet gas discharge laser systems producing a high repetition rate high power output beam. The invention includes solutions to a surface damage problem discovered by Applicants on CaF2 optics located in high pulse intensity sections of the output beam of prototype laser systems. Embodiments include an enclosed and purged beam path with beam pointing control for beam delivery of billions of output laser pulses. Optical components and modules described herein are capable of controlling ultraviolet laser output pulses with wavelength less than 200 nm with average output pulse intensities greater than 1.75×106 Watts/cm2 and with peak intensity or greater 3.5×106 Watts/cm2 for many billions of pulses as compared to prior art components and modules which failed after only a few minutes in these pulse intensities. Techniques and components are disclosed for minimizing the potential for optical damage and for reducing the pulse energy density to less than 100×10−6 J/cm3. Important improvements described in this specification have been grouped into the following subject matter categories: (1) Solution…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.