Laser gas replenishment method
    4.
    发明授权
    Laser gas replenishment method 有权
    激光加气方式

    公开(公告)号:US06965624B2

    公开(公告)日:2005-11-15

    申请号:US10338779

    申请日:2003-01-06

    摘要: A method and apparatus is provided for stabilizing output beam parameters of a gas discharge laser by maintaining a molecular fluorine component of the laser gas mixture at a predetermined partial pressure using a gas supply unit and a processor. The molecular fluorine is provided at an initial partial pressure and is subject to depletion within the laser discharge chamber. Injections of gas including molecular fluorine are performed each to increase the partial pressure of molecular fluorine by a selected amount in the laser chamber preferably less than 0.2 mbar per injection, or 7% of an amount of F2 already within the laser chamber. A number of successive injections may be performed at selected intervals to maintain the constituent gas substantially at the initial partial pressure for maintaining stable output beam parameters. The amount per injection and/or the interval between injections may be varied based on the measured value of the driving voltage and/or a calculated amount of the molecular fluorine in the discharge chamber. The driving voltage is preferably determined to be in one of multiple driving voltage ranges that are adjusted based on the aging of the system. Within each range, gas injections and gas replacements are preferably performed based on total applied electrical energy to the discharge and/or alternatively, on time and/or pulse count.

    摘要翻译: 提供了一种用于通过使用气体供应单元和处理器将激光气体混合物的分子氟成分维持在预定分压来稳定气体放电激光器的输出光束参数的方法和装置。 分子氟以初始分压提供,并在激光放电室内耗尽。 每次喷射包括分子氟的气体,以在激光室中选择的量增加分子氟的分压,优选地每次注射小于0.2毫巴,或者已经在其中的2%的量的7% 在激光室内。 可以以选定的间隔执行多次连续喷射,以维持构成气体基本处于初始分压,以维持稳定的输出光束参数。 每次注射量和/或注射间隔可以基于驱动电压的测量值和/或放电室中分子氟的计算量而变化。 驱动电压优选地被确定为基于系统的老化而被调整的多个驱动电压范围之一。 在每个范围内,气体注入和气体替换优选基于对放电的总施加电能和/或时间和/或脉冲计数进行。

    Narrow band excimer or molecular fluorine laser having an output coupling interferometer
    8.
    发明授权
    Narrow band excimer or molecular fluorine laser having an output coupling interferometer 失效
    具有输出耦合干涉仪的窄带准分子或分子氟激光

    公开(公告)号:US06553050B1

    公开(公告)日:2003-04-22

    申请号:US10081883

    申请日:2002-02-21

    IPC分类号: H01S322

    摘要: An excimer or molecular fluorine laser includes a discharge chamber filled with a gas mixture, multiple electrodes within the discharge chamber connected to a power supply circuit for energizing the gas mixture, and a resonator including the discharge chamber and a pair of resonator reflectors for generating an output laser beam. The resonator includes an interferometric device, which may be a resonator reflector such as an output coupling interferometer or HR reflector, or a transmissive intracavity component, including a pair of opposing reflecting surfaces tuned to produce a response maximum at a selected wavelength for narrowing a linewidth of the output laser beam. One of the pair of opposing reflecting surfaces is preferably configured such that the opposing reflecting surfaces of the interferometer have a varying optical distance therebetween over an incident beam cross-section which serves to suppress at least one side band or outer portions of the response maximum to reduce spectral purity. Preferably, this surface is non-planar, and may include a step, a recess or a raised or recessed curved portion of a quarter wavelength in height or depth, respectively, and may be cylindrical, Gaussian or spherical, and the curvature may extend over the entire reflecting surface or diameter of the incident beam. The curved surface may be part of a component that couples with a base optical block at a surface opposing the other reflecting surface, such as by a slot defined in the optical block or using an adhesive.

    摘要翻译: 准分子或分子氟激光器包括填充有气体混合物的放电室,放电室内的多个电极连接到用于激励气体混合物的电源电路,以及包括放电室的谐振器和一对谐振器反射器,用于产生 输出激光束。 谐振器包括干涉仪,其可以是谐振器反射器,例如输出耦合干涉仪或HR反射器,或透射腔内分量,包括一对相对的反射表面,其被调谐以在选定波长处产生响应最大值以使线宽变窄 的输出激光束。 一对相对的反射表面中的一个优选地被配置为使得干涉仪的相对的反射表面在入射光束横截面之间具有变化的光学距离,其用于抑制响应最大值的至少一个边带或外部部分 降低光谱纯度。 优选地,该表面是非平面的,并且可以分别包括高度或深度为四分之一波长的台阶,凹陷或凸起或凹陷的弯曲部分,并且可以是圆柱形,高斯或球形,并且曲率可以延伸超过 入射光束的整个反射面或直径。 弯曲表面可以是组件的一部分,其在与另一个反射表面相对的表面处与基底光学块耦合,例如通过在光学块中限定的狭槽或使用粘合剂。

    Resonator arrangement for bandwidth control
    9.
    发明授权
    Resonator arrangement for bandwidth control 失效
    用于带宽控制的谐振器布置

    公开(公告)号:US06856638B2

    公开(公告)日:2005-02-15

    申请号:US10035351

    申请日:2001-10-19

    摘要: A line-narrowed excimer or molecular fluorine laser system includes a discharge chamber filled with a gas mixture at least including molecular fluorine and a buffer gas, multiple electrodes within the discharge chamber connected to a discharge circuit for energizing the gas mixture, a resonator including a pair of resonator reflecting surfaces disposed on either side of the discharge chamber for generating a laser beam, and a line-narrowing/selection unit within the resonator for narrowing the bandwidth of the laser beam. The resonator further includes a third reflecting surface which is deformable and disposed between the pair of resonator reflecting surfaces. The line-narrowing/selection unit preferably includes a beam expander and a dispersive element, wherein the deformable third reflecting surface is disposed between the beam expander and the dispersive element.

    摘要翻译: 线狭窄的准分子或分子氟激光系统包括填充有至少包括分子氟和缓冲气体的气体混合物的放电室,放电室内的多个电极连接到用于激励气体混合物的放电电路,包括 一对谐振器反射表面,设置在用于产生激光束的放电室的任一侧上;以及在谐振器内的线窄选择单元,用于使激光束的带宽变窄。 谐振器还包括可变形并设置在该对谐振器反射表面之间的第三反射表面。 线条变窄/选择单元优选地包括光束扩展器和分散元件,其中可变形的第三反射表面设置在光束扩展器和色散元件之间。

    Method and apparatus for reduction of spectral fluctuations
    10.
    发明授权
    Method and apparatus for reduction of spectral fluctuations 失效
    降低光谱波动的方法和装置

    公开(公告)号:US06792023B1

    公开(公告)日:2004-09-14

    申请号:US10112660

    申请日:2002-03-28

    IPC分类号: H01S306

    摘要: 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,

    摘要翻译: 准分子或分子氟激光系统包括填充有至少包含含卤物质和缓冲气体的气体混合物的激光室,在激光室内包括一对主放电电极和至少一个预电离电极的多个电极 并连接到用于激励气体混合物的放电电路,以及包括用于产生高光谱纯度的激光束的线狭窄和/或选择模块的谐振器。 线路变窄模块包括在密封模块内的一个或多个线狭窄和/或选择光学器件,该密封模块通过真空端口耦合到真空设备,用于减小模块内的压力,