Patent ID: 7741639
Filing Date: 2010-06-22
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A multi-chambered excimer or molecular halogen gas discharge laser system comprising at least one oscillator chamber and at least one amplifier chamber producing oscillator output laser light pulses that are amplified in the at least one power chamber, having a fluorine injection control system comprising: a halogen gas consumption estimator estimating the amount of halogen gas that has been consumed in one of the at least one oscillator chamber and at least one amplifier chamber by executing a formula having inputs comprising at least a first operating parameter of one of the least one oscillator chamber and the at least one amplifier chamber, and the difference between a second operating parameter of the at least one oscillator chamber and the at least one amplifier chamber, and estimating the amount of halogen gas that has been consumed in the other of the at least one oscillator chamber and the at least one amplifier chamber by executing a formula having an input comprising at least a third operating parameter of the other of the at least one oscillator chamber and the at least one amplifier chamber, and producing an output representative of an estimated halogen gas consumption in the at least one oscillator chamber and of the halogen gas consumption in the at least one amplifier chamber.