Excimer laser comprising a gas reservoir and a collecting receptacle and a method of refilling the gas reservoir of the laser with halogen gas
AssigneeLamba Physik Gesellschaft zur Herstelling von Lasern mbH
InventorFrank Voss
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An excimer laser including a gas reservoir in which gas discharge is effected with the participation of halogen gas, comprises a collecting receptacle which communicates both with the gas reservoir and a halogen gas supply through conduits provided with shutoff valves. This apparatus is suitable for carrying out a method of refilling the gas reservoir of the excimer laser with halogen gas even if the pressure of the halogen gas supply is low and its volume restricted.
Claims15
A method of refilling the gas reservoir of an excimer laser with halogen gas, comprising the following steps:
- (a) halogen gas from a halogen gas supply is introduced into an evacuated collecting receptacle, at a lower pressure than the operating pressure in the gas reservoir,
- (b) a conduit between the collecting receptacle and the halogen gas supply is blocked by closing a valve,
- (c) the collecting receptacle is connected to the gas reservoir of the excimer laser by opening one or more valves,
- (d) a gas conduit between the collecting receptacle and the gas reservoir is blocked by closing the valve or valves,
- (e) the collecting receptacle is evacuated.
An excimer laser comprising a gas reservoir in which a gas discharge is effected with the participation of halogen gas, wherein a collecting receptacle communicates both with the gas reservoir and a halogen gas supply through conduits provided with shutoff valves and wherein the collecting receptacle is disposed in a gas circuit which is connected to the gas reservoir through shutoff valves and in which a gas circulating means is arranged.
An excimer laser comprising a gas reservoir in which a gas discharge is effected with the participation of halogen gas, wherein a collecting receptacle communicates both with the gas reservoir and a halogen gas supply through conduits provided with shutoff valves and wherein the collecting receptacle is disposed in a gas circuit which is connected to the gas reservoir through valves, and wherein a gas circulating means is disposed in the gas reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.