Laser gas replenishment method

US7266137B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lambda Physik AG · DE

Inventors

• Hans-Stephan Albrecht · Göttingen, DE
• Klaus Vogler · Eckental, DE
• Juergen Kleinschmidt · Oettingen, DE
• Thomas Schroeder · Oettingen, DE
• Igor Bragin · Göttingen, DE
• Vadim Berger · Oebisfelde, DE
• Uwe Stamm · Göttingen, DE
• Wolfgang Zschocke · Göttingen, DE
• Sergei V. Govorkov · Mountain View, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 31, 2005
• Grant date: Sep 4, 2007
• Expiry date: Apr 19, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/1055
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Output beam parameters of a gas discharge laser are stabilized by maintaining a molecular fluorine component at a predetermined partial pressure using a gas supply unit and a processor. The molecular fluorine is subject to depletion within the discharge chamber. Gas injections including molecular fluorine can increase the partial pressure of molecular fluorine by a selected amount. The injections can be performed at selected intervals to maintain the constituent gas substantially at the initial partial pressure. The amount per injection and/or the interval between injections can be varied, based on factors such as driving voltage and a calculated amount of molecular fluorine in the discharge chamber. The driving voltage can be in one of multiple driving voltage ranges that are adjusted based on system aging. Within each range, gas injections and gas replacements can be performed based on, for example, total applied electrical energy or time/pulse count.