Shadow device for a gas laser
AssigneeTuiLaser AG
InventorsClaus Strowitzki, Hans Kodeda
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Abstract
An electrode arrangement for a gas laser is provided. The electrode arrangement includes an elongated high voltage electrode, an elongated ground electrode disposed adjacent to the high voltage electrode, a discharge gap between the two electrodes an insulator element, a high voltage conductor having a first end connected to the high voltage electrode and extending through the insulator element, and a shadow plate interposed between the discharge gap and the insulator element. The electrode arrangement may be employed in a variety of gas lasers, including excimer lasers.
Claims19
An electrode arrangement for a gas laser, comprising:
- an elongated electrode plate made of an electrically conductive material and having a plurality of spaced-apart holes therein;
- a plurality of coaxial high voltage ducts, each duct extending through one of the holes in said electrode plate, and each duct comprising a central conductive core having a first end and an insulator element disposed around said core and electrically insulating said core from said electrode plate;
- an elongated high voltage electrode electrically connected to the first end of said cores of said ducts;
- an elongated ground electrode positioned to oppose said high voltage electrode and form a gas discharge gap therebetween, said ground electrode being electrically connected to said electrode plate;
- and
- a shadow plate interposed between the gas discharge gap and the insulator element of each of said ducts.
A gas laser, comprising:
- a sealed tube containing a gas mixture comprising a laser gas;
- a discharge unit removably mounted inside said tube, said discharge unit comprising an elongated electrode plate made of a conductive material and having a plurality of spaced-apart holes therein, a plurality of coaxial high voltage ducts, each duct extending through one of the holes in said electrode plate and comprising a central conductive core and an insulator element being arranged around said core and electrically insulating said core from said electrode plate, an elongated high voltage electrode connected to said cores of said ducts, an elongated ground electrode adjustably mounted to said electrode plate so that it is spaced-apart from and substantially parallel to said high voltage electrode, and a shadow plate interposed between the discharge gap and the insulator element of each of said ducts;
- circulation means disposed within said tube;
- a first laser optical element disposed at one end of said discharge gap;
- and
- a second laser optical element disposed at the opposing end of said discharge gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.