Patent ID: 6414979
Filing Date: 2002-07-02
Classification: G03F,H01S

Abstract:
A gas discharge laser comprising:A) a laser chamber containing a laser gas, B) two elongated erodable electrode elements disposed within said laser chamber, at least one of said electrode elements having a blunt blade-shaped portion comprised of a material with high electric conductivity and a first flow-shaping dielectric fairing positioned on a first side of said blade-shaped portion and a second flow-shaping dielectric fairing positioned on a second side of said blade-shaped portion, c) a pulse power system providing electrical pulses to said electrodes at rates in excess of 1,000 Hz to produce electric discharges, each discharge defining a discharge region and a discharge shape, D) a blower system for circulating said laser gas between said two electrodes at a velocity in excess of 5 m per second, E) a heat exchanger having sufficient capacity to remove heat from said laser gas produced by said blower system and said discharge, F) a gas flow guiding means to guide gas flow past said erodable electrodes without creating significant turbulence in said gas either when the electrodes are new or when the electrodes are eroded to their end-of-life shape.