In a laser oscillator, a pair of electrodes is disposed in a housing into which a gas is sealed, a waveguide is formed by the pair of electrodes, and a laser beam is configured to be extracted from an end of the housing. The laser oscillator includes a mirror holder attached to an end of the electrode, the end serving as an end of the waveguide, and a reflection mirror attached to the mirror holder and reflecting a laser beam generated in the waveguide. In the laser oscillator, a passage through which a cooling medium is passed is formed inside each of the pair of electrodes.

In a laser oscillator, a pair of electrodes is disposed in a housing into which a gas is sealed, a waveguide is formed by the pair of electrodes, and a laser beam is configured to be extracted from an end of the housing. The laser oscillator includes a mirror holder attached to an end of the electrode, the end serving as an end of the waveguide, and a reflection mirror attached to the mirror holder and reflecting a laser beam generated in the waveguide. In the laser oscillator, a passage through which a cooling medium is passed is formed inside each of the pair of electrodes.

A chamber for a gas laser device includes a first main electrode and a second main electrode arranged along a predetermined direction as being apart from and facing each other in the internal space, a window arranged at a wall surface of the chamber and transmitting light from the internal space, and a first preionization electrode arranged beside one side of the first main electrode. Here, the first preionization electrode includes a first dielectric pipe, a first preionization inner electrode arranged in the first dielectric pipe and extending along the first dielectric pipe, and a first preionization outer electrode extending along the first dielectric pipe and including a first end portion facing the first dielectric pipe with a first gap with respect to the first dielectric pipe. At least a part of the first gap is larger than 0 mm and equal to or smaller than 0.9 mm.

In a chamber of a gas laser apparatus, a distance from an imaginary axis extending along a predetermined direction to a first end portion between first and second primary electrodes increases from one side toward the other side in the predetermined direction, and a distance from the imaginary axis to a second end portion decreases from the one side toward the other side in the predetermined direction.

A gas laser oscillator includes laser gas circulation paths including first and second paths; a first discharge tube provided in the first path; a second discharge tube provided in the second path; a laser power supply for supplying a first high frequency power to the first discharge tube and supplying a second high frequency power having a different phase from the first high frequency power to the second discharge tube; and a matching unit including a first coil and a first capacitor, and a second coil and a second capacitor. Each value of the first coil, the first capacitor, the second coil, and the second capacitor is determined such that the difference between the peak value of a voltage applied to the first discharge tube and the peak value of a voltage applied to the second discharge tube falls within a predetermined range.

A pulsed gas discharge laser operating at an output laser pulse repetition rate of greater than 4 kHz and a method of operating same is disclosed which may comprise a high voltage electrode having a longitudinal extent; a main insulator electrically insulating the high voltage electrode from a grounded gas discharge chamber; a preionizer longitudinally extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal extent of the high voltage electrode; a preionization shim integral with the electrode extending toward the preionizer. The preionizer may be formed integrally with the main insulator. The preionization shim may substantially cover the gap between the electrode and the preionizer. The apparatus and method may comprise an aerodynamic fairing attached to the high voltage electrode to present an aerodynamically smooth surface to the gas flow.

A gas laser oscillator includes laser gas circulation paths including first and second paths; a first discharge tube provided in the first path; a second discharge tube provided in the second path; a laser power supply for supplying a first high frequency power to the first discharge tube and supplying a second high frequency power having a different phase from the first high frequency power to the second discharge tube; and a matching unit including a first coil and a first capacitor, and a second coil and a second capacitor. Each value of the first coil, the first capacitor, the second coil, and the second capacitor is determined such that the difference between the peak value of a voltage applied to the first discharge tube and the peak value of a voltage applied to the second discharge tube falls within a predetermined range.

A chamber for a gas laser device includes first and second main electrodes arranged with a longitudinal direction being along a predetermined direction as being spaced apart from and facing each other in the internal space, a window arranged at a wall surface of the chamber, and a first preionization electrode arranged beside one side of the first main electrode. The first preionization electrode includes a first dielectric pipe extending along the longitudinal direction, a first preionization inner electrode arranged in the first dielectric pipe and extending along the longitudinal direction, and a first preionization outer electrode extending along the longitudinal direction, including a first end portion facing an outer circumference surface of the first dielectric pipe, and extending from the first end portion in a direction away from the first dielectric pipe. In a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, a first corona discharge angle is an acute angle.

A gas laser device is for discharging and exciting a laser gas passing through a discharge space between first and second discharge electrodes and includes a plate supporting the first discharge electrode, a guide member arranged on the plate and guiding the laser gas to the discharge space, a dielectric pipe arranged between the guide member and the first discharge electrode, a first path including the guide member and causing a part of the laser gas to flow therein as a branched flow, a second path including the dielectric pipe and the plate and causing the branched flow flowing out from the first path to flow therethrough, and a third path including the dielectric pipe and the first discharge electrode and guiding the branched flow flowing out from the second path to upstream of the laser gas with respect to the discharge space.

A gas laser apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a laser chamber, a primary electrode, a preliminary ionization electrode, a power supplier, and a processor. The laser chamber is configured to encapsulate a laser gas containing a fluorine gas. The primary electrode is disposed in the laser chamber. The preliminary ionization electrode is disposed in the laser chamber. The power supplier is configured to supply power to the primary electrode and the preliminary ionization electrode. The processor is configured to control the power supplier to perform first discharge control that causes the preliminary ionization electrode and the primary electrode to perform discharge, and second discharge control that causes only the preliminary ionization electrode to perform discharge without causing the primary electrode to perform discharge.