A laser oscillation device can prevent a laser medium-circulating pipe from expanding. The laser oscillation device includes a resonator part, which has an introduction port, through which a laser medium is introduced, and a discharge port, from which the laser medium is discharged, and which generates a laser beam, a laser medium-circulating pipe having one end connected to the introduction port, and the other end connected to the discharge port, a blower arranged in the laser medium-circulating pipe, to circulate the laser medium so that the laser medium is introduced from the introduction port to the resonator part, and the laser medium introduced to the resonator part is discharged from the discharge port, and a heat-insulating mechanism which is provided in the laser medium-circulating pipe, to block heat conduction between the laser medium flowing through the laser medium-circulating pipe and the laser medium-circulating pipe.

A laser oscillation device can prevent a laser medium-circulating pipe from expanding. The laser oscillation device includes a resonator part, which has an introduction port, through which a laser medium is introduced, and a discharge port, from which the laser medium is discharged, and which generates a laser beam, a laser medium-circulating pipe having one end connected to the introduction port, and the other end connected to the discharge port, a blower arranged in the laser medium-circulating pipe, to circulate the laser medium so that the laser medium is introduced from the introduction port to the resonator part, and the laser medium introduced to the resonator part is discharged from the discharge port, and a heat-insulating mechanism which is provided in the laser medium-circulating pipe, to block heat conduction between the laser medium flowing through the laser medium-circulating pipe and the laser medium-circulating pipe.

Methods and apparatus for in situ compensation for damage or misalignment of optical elements are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods and apparatus for facilitating alignment of replacement optical elements so that the amount of time in a system including the optical elements can be reduced. Also disclosed are methods and apparatus for processing an image of a beam generated by an optical system to extract information indicative of an extent of damage to optical elements in the optical system and/or misalignment of the optical elements. Information pertaining to an extent of damage to optical elements in the optical system can be used to optimally schedule maintenance events for the optical system.

Efficient laser diode excited Thulium (Tm) doped solid state systems, directly matched to a combination band pump transition of Carbon Dioxide (CO.sub.2), have matured to the point that utilization of such in combination with CO.sub.2 admits effectively a laser diode pumped CO.sub.2 laser. The laser diode excited Tm solid state pump permits Continuous Wave (CW) or pulsed energy application. Appropriate optical pumping admits catalyzer free near indefinite gas lifetime courtesy of the absence of significant discharge driven dissociation and contamination. As a direct consequence of the preceding arbitrary multi isotopologue CO.sub.2, symmetric and asymmetric, gas mixes may be utilized without significant degradation or departure from initial mix specifications. This would admit, at raised pressure, a system continuously tunable from 9 m to 1.5 m, or sub picosecond amplification. This methodology offers advantages in regards scalability, pulse energy and power over alternative non linear conversion techniques in access to this spectral region.

A system and method for automatically performing gas optimization after a refill in the chambers of a two chamber gas discharge laser is disclosed. The laser is fired at low power, and the gas in the amplifier laser chamber bled if necessary until the discharge voltage meets or exceeds a minimum value without dropping the pressure below a minimum value. The power output is increased to a burst pattern that approximates the expected operation of the laser, and the amplifier chamber gas bled again if necessary until the voltage and an output energy meet or exceed minimum values, or until the pressure is less than a minimum value. The gas in the master oscillator chamber is then bled if necessary until the output energy of the master oscillator meets or falls below a maximum value, again without dropping the pressure in the chamber below the minimum value. While the pressure is adjusted, bandwidth is also measured and adjusted to stay within a desired range. Once the target values are provided, the process runs quickly without manual interaction.

A system and method for automatically performing gas optimization after a refill in the chambers of a two chamber gas discharge laser is disclosed. The laser is fired at low power, and the gas in the amplifier laser chamber bled if necessary until the discharge voltage meets or exceeds a minimum value without dropping the pressure below a minimum value. The power output is increased to a burst pattern that approximates the expected operation of the laser, and the amplifier chamber gas bled again if necessary until the voltage and an output energy meet or exceed minimum values, or until the pressure is less than a minimum value. The gas in the master oscillator chamber is then bled if necessary until the output energy of the master oscillator meets or falls below a maximum value, again without dropping the pressure in the chamber below the minimum value. While the pressure is adjusted, bandwidth is also measured and adjusted to stay within a desired range. Once the target values are provided, the process runs quickly without manual interaction.

The present invention relates to a system for recirculating the gas atmosphere within an excimer laser system, where contaminates, created in the laser's operation, are removed, and the gas concentrations of additive gases, such as Xe, Kr, or others, depleted in the laser operation, are rebalanced to specific lasing mixtures by analyzation and component replenishment from one or more external supplies.

A laser pumping method pumps a primary amount of energy into a laser medium to populate an intermediate level near an upper laser level. A lesser amount of energy is pumped into the laser medium to populate an excited level that lies above the upper laser level and transfers atomic or molecular population to the upper laser level by a nonradiative process. A laser device includes a laser medium supporting four levels, including a lower laser level, an upper laser level, an excited level above the laser level from which population transfers to the upper laser level via nonradiative transition, and an intermediate level within a few kT of the upper laser level.

A system includes a first actuation module coupled to a first actuatable apparatus of an optical source, the first actuatable apparatus being altered by the first actuation module to adjust the spectral feature of the pulsed light beam; a second actuation module coupled to a second actuatable apparatus of the optical source, the second actuatable apparatus being altered by the second actuation module to adjust the spectral feature of the pulsed light beam; and a control system configured to receive an indication regarding the operating state of the first actuatable apparatus; and send a signal to the second actuation module to adjust the spectral feature of the pulsed light beam to either: prevent the first actuatable apparatus from saturating based on the operating state of the first actuatable apparatus, or desaturate the first actuatable apparatus if the first actuatable apparatus is saturated.

A laser oscillator comprises a heat exchanger which cools a gas medium. The heat exchanger includes a cooling part which performs heat exchange between the gas medium and a cooling medium, a tubular member fixed to a frame body, and a foreign matter collection container. The tubular member is disposed so that the gas medium which flows out of the cooling part moves along an outer surface of the tubular member and then changes a proceeding direction to flow into an inlet portion. The foreign matter collection container collects foreign matters which are separated from a flow of the gas medium.