Abstract: A blower apparatus includes a blower casing; an elastic member for mounting a mounting portion that projects on an outer circumferential portion of the blower casing, to a blower support member disposed on the inlet side of the mounting portion; and a flange portion provided on the inlet side of the mounting portion. At least three elastic members are disposed in the same plane that is almost orthogonal to a rotation shaft, and adhesion surfaces are provided on both ends, in the rotation shaft direction, of each elastic member. The mounting portion is fixed to one of the adhesion surfaces, and the blower support member is fixed to the other of the adhesion surfaces. The flange portion is provided so as to oppose the blower support member through a gap having a thickness less than a thickness, in the rotation shaft direction, of the elastic member.

Abstract: In a slab laser, a gas mixture containing carbon dioxide CO2 is formed as a laser-active medium in a discharge space which is formed between two plate-shaped metal electrodes, the flat faces of which are located opposite one another. A resonator mirror is arranged on each of the mutually opposite end faces of the discharge space, the mirrors forming an unstable resonator parallel to the flat faces. At least one of the mutually facing flat faces is provided either on the entire flat face with a dielectric layer the thickness of which is greater on at least one sub-surface than in the remaining area of the flat face, or the at least one flat face is provided with a dielectric layer exclusively on at least one sub-surface.

Abstract: A laser device including lasing materials composed of nanoparticles in an aerosol phase. One example is Nd2O3 in DMDCS with DMSO which is sprayed into a cuvette, measures have to be taken to prevent for aggregation. The fluorescence life-time is significantly shorter compared to nanoparticles dissolved in a liquid.

Abstract: An excimer laser apparatus includes a gas supply unit, connected to a first receptacle that holds a first laser gas containing halogen gas and a second receptacle that holds a second laser gas having a lower halogen gas concentration than the first laser gas, that supplies the first laser gas and the second laser gas to the interior of the laser chamber. Gas pressure control in which the gas supply unit supplies the second laser gas to the interior of the laser chamber or a gas exhaust unit partially exhausts gas from within the laser chamber, and partial gas replacement control in which the gas supply unit supplies the first laser gas and the second laser gas to the interior of the laser chamber and the gas exhaust unit partially exhausts gas from within the laser chamber sequentially, may be selectively performed.

Abstract: An RF power-supply for driving a carbon dioxide CO2 gas-discharge laser includes a plurality of power-oscillators phase-locked to a common reference oscillator. Outputs of the phase-locked power-oscillators are combined by a power combiner for delivery, via an impedance matching network, to discharge-electrodes of the laser. In one example the powers are analog power-oscillators. In another example, the power-oscillators are digital power-oscillators.

Abstract: An optically pumped sulfur monoxide (SO) molecular laser is presented. A near infrared pump light source generates a pump light at wavelengths that match wavelengths of a Q-branch or R-branch absorption transition of a b 1?+ excited electronic state of the SO molecule. The pump light is directed to a vessel containing a laser gain medium including gaseous SO and a buffer gas. The gaseous gain medium may be flowed through the region of output light extraction to remove waste heat deposited in the medium. In some examples output light is generated from any of the R-branch, Q-branch, or P-branch emission transitions between the v=0 vibrationless b 1?+ electronic state and the v=1 vibrational x 3?? ground electronic state. In some other examples, output light is generated from P-branch emission transitions between the v=0 vibrationless b 1?+ electronic state and the v=0 vibrationless x 3?? ground electronic state.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling the gas concentrations in the chambers of a two chamber gas discharge laser such as an excimer laser are disclosed. A first set of inject opportunities is selected for the laser chamber of the master oscillator, and a second set of inject opportunities is selected for the laser chamber of the power amplifier. At each selected inject opportunity for the master oscillator, its laser chamber receives an inject containing a fixed amount of a non-halogen containing gas, and a calculated amount of a halogen containing gas. At the selected inject opportunities for the power amplifier, its laser chamber receives a fixed amount of the halogen containing gas, and may also receive a fixed amount of the non-halogen containing gas.

Abstract: A laser device includes an optical resonator, a microwave driven discharge device, and a source for a second gas. The microwave driven discharge device is disposed relative to the optical resonator. The microwave driven discharge device operates at a discharge power and gas flow rate to produce a selected amount of energetic singlet oxygen metastables flowing in the direction of the optical resonator. The second source for the second gas is disposed between the optical resonator and the microwave driven discharge device. The second gas reacts with the selected amount of energetic singlet oxygen metastables to form an excited species in an amount sufficient to support lasing of the excited species in the optical resonator.

Abstract: One embodiment of a laser resonator comprises one or more laser resonator components, a container and an ozone generator. The laser resonator components include a non-linear crystal, a beam polarization combiner, an optical lens, a mirror and/or an optical grating. The container encloses the one or more laser resonator components. The ozone generator is configured to introduce ozone gas into the container.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically performing gas optimization after a refill in the chambers of a two chamber gas discharge laser such as an excimer laser is disclosed. The laser is continuously fired at a low power output, and the gas in the amplifier laser chamber bled if necessary until the discharge voltage meets or exceeds a minimum value without dropping the pressure below a minimum value. The power output is increased, and the gas bled again if necessary until the voltage and pressure meet or exceed the minimum values. The laser is then fired in a burst pattern that approximates the expected firing of the laser in operation, and the gas bled if necessary until the discharge voltage meets or exceeds the minimum value and the output energy meets or exceeds a minimum value, again without dropping the pressure in the chamber below the minimum value. Once the minimum values are provided, the process runs quickly without manual interaction.

Abstract: An ultra-short pulse laser system comprising an amplifying laser medium for producing a laser emission, a laser resonator having at least one resonator mirror and a pump source has a gas-filled section with a filling gas, the latter consisting of a single gas or a filling gas mixture differing from the composition of air, whose nonlinear refractive index n2 substantially corresponds to that of air and which has a rotational Raman effect which is smaller in comparison with air.

Abstract: A method/apparatus may comprise a laser light source which may comprise a solid state seed laser system producing a seed laser output having a nominal center wavelength at a pulse repetition rate; a first and a second gas discharge laser amplifier gain medium each operating at a pulse repetition rate less than that of the seed laser system; a beam divider providing each of the respective first and second amplifier gain mediums with seed laser output pulses; a frequency converter modifying the nominal center wavelength of the output of the seed laser to essentially the nominal center wavelength of the amplifier gain medium; a beam combiner combining the outputs of the respective amplifier gain mediums to provide a light source output having the pulse repetition rate of the seed laser; a coherence buster operating on either or both of the output of the seed laser or amplifier gain mediums.

Abstract: An ultra-short pulse laser system comprising an amplifying laser medium for producing a laser emission, a laser resonator having at least one resonator mirror and a pump source has a gas-filled section with a filling gas, the latter consisting of a single gas or a filling gas mixture differing from the composition of air, whose nonlinear refractive index n2 substantially corresponds to that of air and which has a rotational Raman effect which is smaller in comparison with air.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may comprise a line narrowed pulsed excimer or molecular fluorine gas discharge laser system which may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses which may comprise a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage containing an amplifying gain medium in a second gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator and amplifying the output of the seed laser oscillator to form a laser system output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses, which may comprise a ring power amplification stage.

Abstract: A laser device includes an optical resonator, a microwave driven discharge device, and a source for a second gas. The microwave driven discharge device is disposed relative to the optical resonator. The microwave driven discharge device operates at a discharge power and gas flow rate to produce a selected amount of energetic singlet oxygen metastables flowing in the direction of the optical resonator. The second source for the second gas is disposed between the optical resonator and the microwave driven discharge device. The second gas reacts with the selected amount of energetic singlet oxygen metastables to form an excited species in an amount sufficient to support lasing of the excited species in the optical resonator.

Abstract: A method/apparatus may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output which may comprise: a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator which may comprise: a ring power amplification stage; a coherence busting mechanism intermediate the seed laser oscillator and the ring power amplification stage which may comprise a beam splitter separating the seed laser output into a main beam and a beam entering an optical delay path which may have a delay length longer than the coherence length of a pulse in the seed laser output and may have a beam angular offset mechanism offsetting a delayed beam and the main beam.

Abstract: The laser tube housing of a CO2 slab laser is provided with a cooling system in which coolant fluid tubes are inserted into hollowed out portions formed in the longitudinal sidewalls of the laser tube housing; mounting the coolant fluid tubes in this way provides for enhanced cooling and increased stiffness of the laser tube housing. Also, a cooling system is provided for the laser's electrode assembly that relies on a manifold system that is mounted on a longitudinal sidewall of the laser tube housing to route coolant fluid through the sidewall to the electrode assembly; sidewall flow of the coolant fluid enables the end flanges of the laser tube housing to be remove without disturbing either the electrodes or the optical resonator of the laser.

Abstract: The invention herein is directed to a dual-chamber combustion laser assembly having lighter weight (per unit flow area), a more compact, flexible configuration for packaging in spacecraft, aircraft, or ground mobile vehicles, higher mass efficiency from lower heat loss and proven power extraction efficiency of linear lasers, superior output beam quality by incremental compensation of gain medium optical path disturbances and by reduction in time-dependent variations in structural and gain medium characteristics, lower cost and shorter fabrication time for modular dual flow laser and linear optics, more efficient pressure recovery with side-wall isolation nozzles and compact diffuser configurations, and increased small signal gains for more efficient extraction of overtone power.

Abstract: A nitride semiconductor device includes a stem. A heat sink is provided on the stem. At least one nitride semiconductor light-emitting element is connected to the heat sink. A light-detecting element for detecting light from the semiconductor light-emitting element is provided on the stem. A cap for encapsulating therein the heat sink, the semiconductor light-emitting element, and the light-detecting element in a sealed manner is connected to the stem. The space in the cap has an encapsulated atmosphere. The encapsulated atmosphere contains a component for inhibiting diffusion of hydrogen atoms contained in the semiconductor light-emitting element. The present invention suppresses defect due to an increase in operation voltage to increase a ratio of good goods thereby improving the fabrication yield of the semiconductor light-emitting device.

Abstract: A laser processing device in which even a short nozzle provided with a follower roller (35) can prevent disturbance of a laser beam and contamination of protective glass and in which shield gas can act effectively. The laser processing device comprises a head section (11) from which a laser beam that is condensed by a condenser lens (16) provided inside the device is irradiated through a nozzle section (13); a gas delivery means (28) opened in a processing direction X, in the vicinity of the focal point of laser beam, and jetting a shield gas from the opening; a primary air delivery means (31) directed in the processing direction X, above the focal point F of the laser beam, and jetting primary air A1 substantially in the horizontal direction to form a first air curtain; and secondary air delivery means (18, 13, 19) directed to the focal point from the vicinity of the condenser lens and jetting secondary air A2 to form a second air curtain.

Abstract: A continuous wave laser based on the electronic I*(2P½)?I(2P 3/2) transition of atomic iodine at 1.315 microns from the NCl(a1?)+I(2P 3/2) energy transfer reaction using a transverse flow device having gas flow from an upstream subsonic combustor section through a converging-diverging supersonic slit nozzle to a downstream supersonic section and an intersecting optical resonator. Laser operation is achieved through the transformation of the gas phase chemical reagents, D2 (deuterium), F2 (fluorine), NF3 (nitrogen trifluoride), DCl (deuterium chloride) HI (hydrogen iodide) in the subsonic section and HN3 (hydrogen azide) in the supersonic section.

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.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for producing near-diffraction-limited laser light, or amplifying near-diffraction-limited light, in diode pumped alkali vapor photonic-band-gap fiber lasers or amplifiers. Laser light is both substantially generated and propagated in an alkali gas instead of a solid, allowing the nonlinear and damage limitations of conventional solid core fibers to be circumvented. Alkali vapor is introduced into the center hole of a photonic-band-gap fiber, which can then be pumped with light from a pump laser and operated as an oscillator with a seed beam, or can be configured as an amplifier.

Abstract: A line-narrowing module for a laser includes a prism beam expander and a grating preferably attached to a heat sink. A pressure-controlled enclosure filled with an inert gas seals the grating and/or other elements of the line-narrowing module. The pressure in the enclosure is adjusted for tuning the wavelength. Preferably, the pressure is controlled by controlling the flow of an inert gas through the enclosure. A pump may be used, or an overpressure flow may be used. Alternatively, a prism of the beam expander or an etalon may be rotatable for tuning the wavelength.

Abstract: An oscillator-amplifier gas discharge laser system and method is disclosed which may comprise a first laser unit which may comprise a first discharge region which may contain an excimer or molecular fluorine lasing gas medium; a first pair of electrodes defining the first discharge region containing the lasing gas medium, a line narrowing unit for narrowing a spectral bandwidth of output laser light pulse beam pulses produced in said first discharge region; a second laser unit which may comprise a second discharge chamber which may contain an excimer or molecular fluorine lasing gas medium; a second pair of electrodes defining the second discharge region containing the lasing gas medium; a pulse power system providing electrical pulses to the first pair of electrodes and to the second pair of electrodes producing gas discharges in the lasing gas medium between the respective first and second pair of electrodes, and laser parameter control mechanism modifying a selected parameter of a selected laser output lig

Abstract: An axial direction excitation type F2 laser apparatus comprises a discharge tube consisting of an insulating cylinder and metal electrodes at both ends of thereof, and a reflecting mirror or a transmitting mirror, constituting a resonator, outside the electrodes. A high voltage for pulse discharge is applied to the electrodes from a drive circuit. Total gas pressure in the discharge tube is set in a range between 10 Torr. and 100 Torr., and concentration of F2 gas to total gas in the discharge tube is set to be in a range between 0.2% and 2.0%. This low-pressure axial direction excitation type F2 laser apparatus having small size and high efficiency can be provided at a low cost.

Abstract: Burst and spike characteristics in an excimer laser output in a burst operation are efficiently improved. Xenon gas is added from a compact Xe gas cylinder to gases for excimer laser in a chamber supplied from an Ar/Ne gas cylinder and an Ar/F2/Ne gas cylinder, a ratio of the xenon gas is detected by an Xe gas sensor, and the supply of the xenon gas from the Xe gas cylinder to the chamber is controlled by a gas controller.

Abstract: Provided is a gas laser electrode in which a stable laser output can be obtained by inhibiting the deterioration of the electrode (discharge characteristics). In an anode 3, a dielectric material 4 is applied on the surface of a discharging portion 3a in order to inhibit the deterioration of the electrode. Used as a dielectric material 4 may be, for example, fluorides such as calcium fluoride and strontium fluoride. Further, the dielectric material 4 is of a thickness (in a range of 0.005 mm˜1.5 mm, preferably 0.1 mm˜1 mm, for example) sufficient to prevent the erosion of halogen gas in the discharging portion 3a of the anode 3 and to secure a conductivity thereof, whereby it is enabled to form mono-fluoride evenly in extreme precision.

Abstract: A beam parameter monitoring unit for coupling with an excimer or molecular fluorine (F2) laser resonator that produces an output beam having a wavelength below 200 nm includes an on-line laser pulse energy detector. This, in turn, allows output pulse energy stabilization to the same degree of accuracy, which is crucial for stability of exposure dose and other process parameters in microlithography and industrial applications.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An automatic F2 laser gas control, for a modular high repetition rate ultraviolet gas discharge laser. The laser gas control includes techniques, monitors, and processor for monitoring the F2 consumption rates through the operating life of the laser system. These consumption rates are used by a processor programmed with an algorithm to determine F2 injections needed to maintain laser beam quality within a delivery range. Preferred embodiments include F2 controls for a two-chamber MOPA laser system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a long pulse gas laser apparatus for lithography further improved in the laser oscillation efficiency and stability increased by addition of xenon gas. A gas laser apparatus for lithography has a pair of discharge electrodes 2 provided in a laser chamber 1 and emits laser beam having a laser pulse width (Tis) of not less than 40 ns by exciting a laser gas sealed in the laser chamber 1 by electric discharge between the pair of discharge electrodes 2, the laser gas containing xenon in an amount not less than 2 ppm and not more than 100 ppm in partial pressure ratio. The laser gas has been heated at least when the laser beam is emitted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a two stage laser system in which a desired spectral line width can be obtained at high output even when the integrated spectral characteristic of oscillator laser does not have the desired spectral line width, comprising an oscillator laser device 10 which has discharge electrodes 2 within a laser chamber 1 filled with laser gas containing F2 and emits laser beam which is band-narrowed by means of a band narrowing module 3 arranged in a laser resonator, and an amplifier laser device 20 which has discharge electrodes 2 within a laser chamber 1 filled with laser gas containing F2 and amplifies laser pulse injected from said oscillator laser device 10. In the system, a synchronous time interval having a predetermined spectral line width exists in laser pulse from the oscillator laser 10, and the system is set such that a discharge occurs in the amplifier laser 20 within the synchronous time interval.

Abstract: An excimer or molecular fluorine laser system includes a discharge chamber filled with a laser gas mixture at least including a halogen-containing molecular species and a buffer gas, multiple electrodes within the discharge chamber connected to a discharge circuit for energizing the gas mixture, and a resonator for generating a laser beam including an optical component made of MgF2. The optical component made of MgF2 has been previously cleaved along a predetermined plane, such that the refractive indices of the birefringent MgF2 material for orthogonal polarization components of the beam are either at least approximately equal so that the polarization of the beam due to the influence of the birefringent nature of the MgF2 material is not substantially reduced, or are approximately maximum so that at least a portion of one of the components is rejected by the resonator so that the polarization of the beam is increased due to the birefringent nature of the MgF2.

Abstract: A molecular fluorine (F2) laser system that includes a gaseous molecular fluorine gain medium contained in a laser tube, a resonant cavity, a power supply for exciting the gain medium to produce a laser beam having an ultra violet (UV) radiation output at substantially 157 nm and a red radiation output in the range of 620 to 760 nm, a discharge module connected to the laser tube for adding and withdrawing gas to the gain medium, a controller for controlling the power supply and the discharge module, and a photo diamond detector that receives a portion of the laser beam for measuring at least one optical parameter of the UV radiation such as energy, pulse energy, pulse shape, pulse width, etc. The photo diamond detector is substantially insensitive to the red radiation output that is also present in the laser beam.

Abstract: The present invention provides an injection seeded modular gas discharge laser system capable of producing high quality pulsed laser beams at pulse rates of about 4,000 Hz or greater and at pulse energies of about 5 to 10 mJ or greater for integrated outputs of about 20 to 40 Watts or greater. Two separate discharge chambers are provided, one of which is a part of a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. The parameters chamber can be controlled separately permitting optimization of wavelength parameters in the master oscillator and optimization of pulse energy parameters in the amplifying chamber. A preferred embodiment is a F2 laser system configured as a MOPA and specifically designed for use as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. In this preferred embodiment, both of the chambers and the laser optics are mounted on a vertical optical table within a laser enclosure.

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, and multiple electrodes with the laser chamber connected to a discharge circuit energizing the gas mixture. The laser chamber is within a laser resonator generating an output beam. The resonator includes a line-narrowing package for reducing a bandwidth of the output beam. The line-narrowing package includes a grating or grism element for use with a highly reflective (HR) and/or an anti-reflective (AR) dielectric coating. The grating may serve as a resonator reflector having a dielectric HR coating. The grating may be disposed before a HR mirror and thus have a dielectric AR or HR coating when the grating is configured in transmission or reflection mode, respectively. The grating may be used as an output coupler, and may be partially reflective with or without a coating.

Abstract: An excimer or molecular fluorine laser system includes a wavelength calibration module permitting the wavelength of the narrow band output beam to be calibrated to a specific absolute wavelength. The module is preferably a lamp which contains at least one species including platinum with an optical transition within the emission spectrum of the laser system. Light from the lamp is preferably coincident at a spectrometer with a beam portion from the laser, and the laser beam wavelength is calibrated by simultaneous analysis at the spectrograph.

Abstract: An excimer or molecular fluorine laser, such as a KrF- or ArF-laser, or a molecular fluorine (F2) laser, particularly for photolithography applications, has a gas mixture including a trace amount of a gas additive. The concentration of the gas additive in the gas mixture is optimized for improving energy stability and/or the overshoot control of the laser output beam. The concentration is further determined and adjusted at new fills and/or during laser operation based on its effect on the output pulse energy in view of constraints and/or aging on the discharge circuit and/or other components of the laser system. Attenuation control is also provided for increasing the lifetimes of components of the laser system by controlling the concentration of the gas additive over time. A specific preferred concentration of xenon is more than 100 ppm for improving the energy stability and/or overshoot control.

Abstract: An energy converter reacts hydrocarbons and air on a catalyst configuration to produce a population inversion. A photovoltaic system may extract the radiating energy, and a laser system may extract a significant fraction of the reaction energy in the form of coherent radiation. The flooding of the catalyst adsorption sites with fuel and the choice of catalyst predisposes the adsorbing oxygen molecules to create mono-atomic oxygen hot-atoms, which deposit the considerable energy of oxygen adsorption directly into a reaction channel of adjacent, adsorbed and simple fuel radicals, thereby producing simple, energetic product molecules, concentrating the energy in one or a few modes, and strongly favoring inverted populations. A solid state method to stimulate precursor chemisorbed specie dissociation accelerates the reaction rates, providing a method to greatly intensify pulsed power output, increase efficiency, and to facilitate nano-scale and micro-scale thermal energy heat rejection processes.

Abstract: An ArF excimer laser device and a fluoride laser device for exposure which is structured so that primary current that infuses energy from a magnetic pulse compression circuit to discharge electrodes via a peaking capacitor overlaps secondary current that infuses energy from the capacitor in the final stage of the magnetic pulse compression circuit to the discharge electrodes, the oscillation cycle of the secondary current is set longer than the oscillation cycle of the primary current, and a pulse of laser oscillation operation is effected by the initial half-cycle of the discharge oscillation current waveform that reverses the polarity of the primary current being overlapped by the secondary current and by at least two half-cycles continuing thereafter, as a result of which a high repetition rate, pulse stretch, line-narrowed ArF excimer laser device and fluorine laser device can be implemented at repetition rate exceeding 2 kHz.

Abstract: A supplying method and a supplying apparatus for supplying fluorine gas, in which when a fluorine-occluding substance is used for the fluorine gas-generating means, a necessary amount of fluorine gas can be stably and swiftly supplied to have a uniform concentration to &a chamber of an excimer laser device or the like even at running, to say nothing of the gas exchange time. In a fluorine gas-generating means, fluorine gas is generated at the use point by controlling a fluorine-occluding substance to a predetermined temperature, the fluorine gas is introduced into a mixing container, a diluting gas is introduced into the mixing container to mix it with the fluorine gas to prepare a fluorine mixed gas having a predetermined pressure and a predetermined fluorine gas concentration, and the fluorine mixed gas reserved in the mixing container is supplied to a use side such as chamber, using the pressure difference.

Abstract: A gas laser and a dedusting unit thereof are provided. The gas laser comprises a tube containing a gas mixture including a laser gas and preferably a buffer gas. The tube preferably comprises a cylindrical inner wall. A discharge unit is inserted into the tube and has two elongated electrodes defining an electrical gas discharge gap therebetween for providing an electric gas discharge between said electrodes to generate laser light. A circulation means is included in the tube for generating a gas flow within the tube that passes through the discharge gap. A dedusting unit is mounted along the inner cylindrical wall of the tube in such a manner that only a bypass flow which is a part of the gas flow within the tube passes through the dedusting unit.

Abstract: An ArF excimer laser device for performing an oscillating operation with a repetition rate of more than 3 kHz and an oscillating laser pulse width (Tis) of more than 30 ns. The laser operation is carried out in an initial half-period of an electrical discharge oscillating current waveform of a pulse of reversed polarity generated by a high voltage pulse generating device and in at least two subsequent half-periods. The pressure of the laser gas in the laser chamber is 2.5 to 3.5 atm, the fluorine concentration is 0.12% or less, and the argon gas concentration 3% or less. As a result, the laser pulse width (Tis) can be set to more than 30 ns.

Abstract: An efficient F2 laser is provided with improvements in line selection, monitoring capabilities, alignment stabilization, performance at high repetition rates and polarization characteristics. Line selection is preferably provided by a transmission grating or a grism. The grating or grism preferably outcouples the laser beam. The line selection may be fully provided at the front optics module. A monitor grating and an array detector monitor the intensity of the selected (and unselected) lines for line selection control. An energy detector is enclosed in an inert gas purged environment at slight overpressure. A blue or green reference beam is used for F2 laser beam alignment stabilization and/or spectral monitoring of the output laser beam. The blue or green reference beam advantageously is not reflected out with a atomic fluorine red emission of the laser and is easily resolved from the red emission.

Abstract: An excimer or molecular fluorine laser includes a gain medium surrounded by a resonator and including a line-narrowing module preferably including a prism beam expander and one or more etalons and/or a grating or grism within the resonator. The material of transmissive portions of the line-narrowing module including the prisms and the plates of the etalons comprises a material having an absorption coefficient of less than 5×10−3/cm at 248 nm incident radiation, less than 10×10−3/cm at 193 nm incident radiation, and less than 0.1/cm at 157 nm. Preferably the material also has a thermal conductivity greater than 2.0 W/m° C.

Abstract: A reliable modular production quality ArF excimer laser capable of producing laser pulses at repetition rates in the range of 3,000 to 4,000 Hz or greater with pulse energies in the range of about 2 mJ to 5 mJ or greater with a full width half, maximum bandwidth of about 0.4 pm or less and dose stability of less than 0.4 percent. Using this laser as an illumination source, stepper or scanner equipment can produce integrated circuit resolution of 0.10 &mgr;m (100 nm) or less. Replaceable modules include a laser chamber; a modular pulse power system; and a line narrowing module. For a given laser power output, the higher repetition rate provides two important advantages. The lower per pulse energy means less optical damage and the larger number of pulses for a specified illumination dose means better dose stability.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultra pure purge system for discharge lasers. The LNP, the output coupler, the wavemeter and selected high voltage components are contained in sealed chambers each having a purge inlet port and a purge outlet port. Purge gas such as N2 is filtered and directed to each of the inlet ports. Gas exiting the outlet ports may be directed to flow monitors having alarms so that any loss of purge will be immediately detected. Purge gas may be exhausted or recirculated.

Abstract: A gas laser discharge unit is provided. The discharge unit includes an elongated electrode plate having a plurality of spaced-apart holes therein and a plurality of coaxial high voltage ducts. Each duct extends through one of the holes in the electrode plate and includes a central conductive core and an insulator element arranged around the core to electrically insulate said core from the electrode plate. An elongated high voltage electrode is electrically connected to the cores of the ducts. In addition, an elongated ground electrode is positioned to oppose the high voltage electrode and form a gas discharge gap therebetween. The ground electrode is electrically connected to the electrode plate. The gas laser discharge unit may be removably mounted as a module into a gas laser tube, such as an excimer laser tube.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reliable modular production quality excimer laser capable of producing 10 mJ laser pulses in the range of 1000 Hz to 2000 Hz or greater. Replaceable modules include a laser chamber; a pulse power system comprised of three modules; an optical resonator comprised of a line narrowing module and an output coupler module; a wavemeter module, an electrical control module, a cooling water module and a gas control module. Important improvements have been provided in the pulse power unit to produce faster rise time and improved pulse energy control. These improvements include an increased capacity high voltage power supply with a voltage bleed-down circuit for precise voltage trimming, an improved communication module that generates a high voltage pulse from the capacitors charged by the high voltage power supply and amplifies the pulse voltage 23 times with a very fast voltage transformer having a secondary winding consisting of a single four-segment stainless steel rod.