This Cymer patent appears to be a key eximer laser patent...........
Maybe you eximer laser experts can tell us if claim 1 describes the basic design of an eximer laser.
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5033055 : Compact excimer laser
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INVENTORS:Akins; Robert P., San Diego, CA
Larson; Donald G., San Diego, CA
Sengupta; Uday K., Del Mar, CA
Sandstrom; Richard L., Encinitas, CA
ASSIGNEES:Cymer Laser Technologies, San Diego, CA
ISSUED:Julyÿ16, 1991ÿ
FILED: Julyÿ10, 1990
ABSTRACT:ÿÿ A compact excimer laser, including a housing structure
having a plurality of walls forming an internal laser cavity. A gas is
located within the laser cavity and with the gas capable of lasing
action. A pair of spaced electrodes are located within the laser cavity
and form an electrical discharge area between the electrodes for
stimulating gas within the discharge area to lasing action in accordance
with an electrical discharge between the electrodes. One of the pair of
electrodes is located along a central position within the cavity and is
grounded to the housing structure. The other of the pair of electrodes
is located adjacent to but spaced from one of the walls of the housing
structure an with the other electrode mounted on a main insulator
member. The main insulator member is formed of ceramic material and is
located intermediate to the one wall of the housing and the other
electrode but is spaced from the one wall of the housing to have the
main insulator member floating relative to the housing structure. The
main ceramic insulator member is compressively supported at a central
position of the member and extends outward from this central position
without any additional support to have the floating main insulator
respond to any bending forces within the laser without any constraint
other than the central support.
EXEMPLARY CLAIM(s): S
We claim:
1. In combination in an excimer laser for use with a gas capable of a
lasing action,
a housing structure having a plurality of walls defining a laser cavity for receiving and holding the gas,
a pair of spaced electrodes disposed within the laser cavity and forming an electrical discharge area between the electrodes for stimulating gas within the discharge area to lasing action in accordance with an electrical discharge between the electrodes,
means including a motor and a fan for circulating the gas through the laser cavity,
means including a window for directing, from a position in the laser cavity to a position outside of the housing structure, energy produced by the electrical discharge between the electrodes,
means for filtering the circulating gas to eliminate particulates in the gas and for directing the filtered gas past the window to inhibit the deposit of particulates on the window,
the motor including a rotor and a stator,
the motor being disposed outside of the housing structure and the fan being disposed within the housing structure, and
means for sealing the rotor and the stator relative to each other to provide for a communication of the rotor, but
not the stator, with the laser cavity. |
