Patent ID: 8929419
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. An excimer laser system comprising: a laser chamber containing a laser gas mixture of a noble gas, a buffer gas and a halogen gas at operating concentrations for operating the laser, the laser chamber including a gas input port and a gas output port; a scrubber coupled to the gas output port for removal of the halogen gas; a gas purifier coupled between the scrubber and the gas input port for removing impurities from the noble and buffer gases; a pump for circulating the laser gas mixture out of the gas output port, and the noble and buffer gases back in the input port after purification; a gas supply bottle coupled to the laser chamber containing a halogen-rich laser gas mixture including the noble lasing gas and buffer gas at a ratio the same as the operating concentrations, and the halogen gas at above the operating concentration; and a controller for isolating the gas purifier from the laser chamber, for coupling the gas supply bottle directly to the laser chamber, and for supplying the halogen-rich laser gas mixture to replenish the halogen gas without affecting the relative concentration of noble and buffer gases; wherein the purifier includes a recirculation loop for passing the noble and buffer gases through the purifier a plurality of times before returning them to the laser chamber.