Patent ID: 6577663
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A molecular fluorine (F2) laser system, comprising:a seed source including a seed tube for generating a light beam at least including a first line around 157 nm, the seed tube being filled with a gas mixture at least including molecular fluorine, the gas mixture being at a sufficiently low pressure below 1800 mbar which results in the generation of a laser emission including said first line around 157 nm having a naturally-occurring linewidth devoid of any assistance by an optical component for narrowing the natural line, said sufficiently low pressure being adjustable to a selected pressure below 1800 mbar thereby producing a selected natural linewidth of less than 0.5 pm, and having an initial power below a target power for applications processing, and a power amplifier for increasing the power of the beam emitted by the seed source to a desired power for applications processing, the selected natural linewidth being at least enough such that the initial power of the seed source is amplified to the target power by said power amplifier.