Patent ID: 6603789
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
An excimer or molecular fluorine laser system, comprising:a laser chamber filled with a gas mixture at least including a halogen-containing molecular species and a buffer gas; a plurality of electrodes including a pair of main electrodes and at least one preionization unit within the laser chamber, the main electrodes defining a discharge area therebetween; a pulsed discharge circuit connected to the electrodes including a pulse compression circuit and a high voltage power supply for supplying electrical energy in compressed electrical pulses to the electrodes within the laser chamber to energize the gas mixture; a fan for circulating the gas mixture through the discharge area; a heat exchanger at least for cooling the gas mixture; a resonator for generating an output beam including the discharge area within the laser chamber, the resonator including at least one line-narrowing optic, resonator reflecting optics being disposed at either end of said resonator and retro-reflecting the beam within the resonator, said resonator reflecting optics forming an unstable resonator in each of orthogonal (x,y) cross-sectional beam axis directions for suppressing fluctuations in one or more output beam parameters, said beam propagating within the resonator substantially in a third direction (z).