Patent ID: 6490307
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: G03F,H01S

Abstract:
A gas discharge laser system, comprising:a discharge chamber containing a laser gas mixture a least including fluorine, which is subject to depletion, and a buffer gas; a pair of electrodes connected to a power supply circuit including a driving voltage for providing a pulsed discharge to energize said laser gas mixture; a resonator surrounding said discharge chamber for generating a pulsed laser beam; a gas supply unit connected to said discharge chamber; and a processor for controlling gaseous flow between said gas supply unit and said discharge chamber, a compartment valve-coupled between the gas supply unit and the discharge chamber for storing said fluorine prior to injecting into said discharge chamber, wherein said gas supply unit, said compartment and said processor are configured to permit between 0.0001 mbar and 0.2 mbar of said fluorine to inject said discharge chamber at selected interval.