Abstract: When a chamber of an oscillator and one or more amplifiers is to be replaced at the timing when a predetermined period elapses, one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit is detached and this chamber is attached in place of one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. Thus, the chamber which has been used in one of the oscillator and amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit and has not reached the limit of deterioration is reused in one of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. This enables efficient use of oscillator and amplifier chambers in a multistage amplification laser apparatus, minimizing the labor and parts consumed for replacement thereof.

Abstract: When a chamber of an oscillator and one or more amplifiers is to be replaced at the timing when a predetermined period elapses, one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit is detached and this chamber is attached in place of one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. Thus, the chamber which has been used in one of the oscillator and amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit and has not reached the limit of deterioration is reused in one of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. This enables efficient use of oscillator and amplifier chambers in a multistage amplification laser apparatus, minimizing the labor and parts consumed for replacement thereof.

Abstract: When a chamber of an oscillator and one or more amplifiers is to be replaced at the timing when a predetermined period elapses, one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit is detached and this chamber is attached in place of one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. Thus, the chamber which has been used in one of the oscillator and amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit and has not reached the limit of deterioration is reused in one of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. This enables efficient use of oscillator and amplifier chambers in a multistage amplification laser apparatus, minimizing the labor and parts consumed for replacement thereof.

Abstract: When a chamber of an oscillator and one or more amplifiers is to be replaced at the timing when a predetermined period elapses, one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit is detached and this chamber is attached in place of one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. Thus, the chamber which has been used in one of the oscillator and amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit and has not reached the limit of deterioration is reused in one of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. This enables efficient use of oscillator and amplifier chambers in a multistage amplification laser apparatus, minimizing the labor and parts consumed for replacement thereof.

Abstract: When a chamber of an oscillator and one or more amplifiers is to be replaced at the timing when a predetermined period elapses, one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit is detached and this chamber is attached in place of one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. Thus, the chamber which has been used in one of the oscillator and amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit and has not reached the limit of deterioration is reused in one of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. This enables efficient use of oscillator and amplifier chambers in a multistage amplification laser apparatus, minimizing the labor and parts consumed for replacement thereof.

Abstract: In a wavelength detecting apparatus using an etalon, a drift in wavelength measurement by the etalon is stabilized and an adverse influence of out gas is eliminated, so that correct wavelength measurement is realized. The wavelength detecting apparatus includes a housing equipped with a port for use of introducing replacement gas, an etalon set inside the housing, and a moisture-absorbing unit for absorbing at least moisture released inside the housing.

Abstract: A buffer gas contained in a laser gas used for an ArF excimer laser mainly consists of He, and Xe is preferably added to the laser gas. Mixture piping divided by valves is disposed on piping running from a chamber to an excimer laser gas cylinder, the mixture piping and a Xe gas cylinder are connected, gas exhaust by a gas exhaust module and opening and closing of the valves are controlled by a gas controller to add a trace quantity of xenon gas to the excimer laser gas. Thus, to remedy a burst characteristic and a spike characteristic of the ultraviolet laser device by adding a trace quantity of xenon gas, the xenon gas can be supplied efficiently into the chamber without modifying existing laser gas supply equipment.

Abstract: A vacuum ultraviolet laser wavelength measuring apparatus capable of accurately measuring wavelength characteristics of a laser beam. The wavelength measuring apparatus has spectral devices for generating an optical pattern corresponding to wavelength characteristics of an incident laser beam and measuring wavelength characteristics of a laser beam in a vacuum ultraviolet region oscillating from a vacuum ultraviolet laser on the basis of the optical pattern. The apparatus has a fluorescent screen for generating a fluorescent pattern having an intensity distribution corresponding to an intensity distribution of the incident optical pattern, a pattern detector for measuring the intensity distribution of the fluorescent pattern, and arithmetic unit for calculating the wavelength characteristics of the laser beam on the basis of the measured intensity distribution.

Abstract: In a wavelength detecting apparatus using an etalon, a drift in wavelength measurement by the etalon is stabilized and an adverse influence of out gas is eliminated, so that correct wavelength measurement is realized. The wavelength detecting apparatus includes a housing equipped with a port for use of introducing replacement gas, an etalon set inside the housing, and a moisture-absorbing unit for absorbing at least moisture released inside the housing.

Abstract: A vacuum ultraviolet laser wavelength measuring apparatus capable of accurately measuring wavelength characteristics of a laser beam. The wavelength measuring apparatus (3), having spectral means for generating an optical pattern corresponding to wavelength characteristics of an incident laser beam and measuring wavelength characteristics of a laser beam in a vacuum ultraviolet region oscillating from a vacuum ultraviolet laser on the basis of the optical pattern, comprises a fluorescent screen (15) for generating a fluorescent pattern (14) having an intensity distribution corresponding to an intensity distribution of the incident optical pattern, a pattern detector (17) for measuring the intensity distribution of the fluorescent pattern, and an arithmetic unit (28) for calculating the wavelength characteristics of the laser beam on the basis of the measured intensity distribution.

Abstract: The invention provides an once through fan for an excimer laser apparatus having a reduced vibration and being capable of increasing a rotational speed. In order to obtain this, in an once through fan (1) for an excimer laser apparatus provided with a blade portion (6) having a plurality of blades, a rotary shaft (4) for rotating the blade portion and a magnetic bearing (7) rotatably supporting the rotary shaft in a non-contact manner so as to circulate a laser gas sealed within a chamber (2) in accordance with a rotation of the blade portion, a rotor (21) of a motor (23) installed within the chamber (2) and rotating the rotary shaft (4) is mounted on an outer peripheral portion of the rotary shaft, and at least one magnetic bearing (7, 7) for supporting the rotary shaft is arranged in each of both sides in an axial direction of the rotor.

Abstract: The present invention can accurately detect a wavelength of a light to be detected, which is output from a source of light to be detected, without an error even if there is a change in the characteristic of a spectroscope due to an individual difference among the spectroscopes or a change in the measuring environment. The device according to the invention emits at least two reference lights (Ln, La) having different wavelengths (&lgr;n, &lgr;a) as the reference lights by reference light source. And, actual characteristic value (D) of spectroscope is calculated on the basis of detection positions (Sn, Sa) of the at least two reference lights (Ln, La) on a sensor and the known wavelengths (&lgr;n, &lgr;a) of the at least two reference lights (Ln, La) (D=(&lgr;a−&lgr;n)/(Sa−Sn)).