RU2507654C1 - Gas discharge laser, laser system and method of radiation generation - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: electricity.

SUBSTANCE: in a gas discharge laser capacitors (11), which are in a low inductive manner connected to electrodes (2, 3) of the laser, are placed near the first electrode (2) in ceramic containers (10) and in a low inductive manner are connected to a pulse source of power supply (15) via current leads (12, 13) of each container, high-voltage current leads (21) of a metal laser chamber (1) and lengthy grounded current leads (23), arranged at both sides of ceramic containers (10). End parts (29) of each ceramic container (10) are tightly fixed in the ends (30) of the laser chamber (1) with the possibility of access or connection to the inner part of the container (10).

EFFECT: provision of the possibility to increase laser capacity and to reduce costs for production of generation energy.

27 cl, 11 dwg

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The invention relates to a device for high-power gas-discharge, in particular, excimer lasers, laser systems and a method for generating laser radiation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Excimer lasers are the most powerful sources of directional radiation in the ultraviolet (UV) range of the spectrum. Depending on the composition of the gas, excimer lasers emit at transitions of various molecules: ArF (193 nm), KrCl (222 nm), KrF (248 nm), XeBr (282 nm), XeCl (308 nm), XeF (351 nm). Molecular fluorine lasers F ₂ (157 nm) are similar to excimer lasers in terms of gas composition and pumping method. The most effective, with an efficiency of about 3%, high-energy, up to ~ 1 J / pulse, and powerful, up to 600 W, are KrF and XeCl lasers, which have found the greatest application in various technologies. These include the production of flat LCD and OLED displays, 30D-microprocessing of materials, the production of high-temperature superconductors by laser ablation, and powerful UV lidars. ArF lasers, due to their optimally short wavelength allowing the use of reliable quartz optics, are widely used in large-scale lithographic production of integrated circuits with a characteristic element size of only a few tens of nm. For lithography, narrow-band ArF lasers are used with a relatively low generation energy of 5-10 mJ / pulse and a high (4-6 kHz) pulse repetition rate, the device and technology of which are described, in particular, in the application US20030118072. Thus, high-power excimer lasers are used for various combinations of the radiation wavelength, generation energy, and pulse repetition rate.

In high-power excimer lasers, the active medium is excited by a periodically pulsed volume discharge of high (2.5-5 atm) pressure in mixtures of inert gases (Ne, He, Xe, Kr, Ar) with halogen-containing molecules F ₂ , HCl under conditions of energy input into discharge, providing high efficiency of laser radiation generation. Such a discharge is fundamentally unstable, and the storage time

a volume discharge of a uniform form usually does not exceed several tens of nanoseconds. At the same time, the achievement of high output characteristics is determined by a number

factors in a rather complex relationship. The main factors include the conditions for preliminary ionization of the active volume, the mode of ignition and energy input into the discharge, the geometry of the electrode system and the characteristics of the gas flow in it. Providing the long lifetime of the high pressure gaseous mixture comprising chemically extremely active components F ₂ or HCl, imposes stringent requirements on the materials of construction of the laser.

In accordance with the needs of modern high-performance technologies using excimer lasers / their power is constantly increasing. However, an increase in the energy and radiation power of gas-discharge excimer lasers has fundamental physical limitations, which, when the optimal values of the generation energy and pulse repetition rate are exceeded, cause a decrease in the laser efficiency, a decrease in the reliability and stability of its operation, and, ultimately, an increase in the cost of operating the laser.

All this determines the relevance of finding solutions to optimize the design and method of operation of excimer lasers, increase their power and reduce the cost of generating lasing energy for various combinations of lasing energy and pulse repetition rate.

US6782030 is known from a pulsed-periodic gas-discharge laser, in which, in order to reduce the inductance of the discharge circuit, which ensures high laser efficiency, capacitors connected to the electrodes are placed in the laser chamber near a high-voltage electrode placed on the side of the wall of the laser chamber. For compatibility with an aggressive laser environment, it is proposed to use capacitors coated with an inert material.

The disadvantage of this technical solution is that the composition of ceramic capacitors includes components, for example, solder, which in case of violation of the protective layer when exposed to F ₂ or Hcl will lead to the output of the capacitor and then the laser out of order. In addition, in the gas medium of the laser, parasitic breakdown on the surface of ceramic capacitors designed to operate in an electrically robust medium does not allow them to be charged to rated voltage. This sharply reduces the energy storage of the capacitors when they are placed in the gas medium of the laser, not allowing to achieve high levels of generation energy and laser power.

An excimer laser with X-ray preionization of a kilowatt average radiation power level, in which a high-voltage electrode is placed on an extended ceramic flange of a metal laser chamber, to which an additional chamber with an electrically strong gas is connected, is deprived of this drawback. Laser Focus World, 25, N10, 23, 1989. The laser device and the method of generating laser radiation can increase the discharge aperture and, accordingly, the generation energy and the average laser radiation power. The low inductance of the discharge circuit, which is necessary for high laser efficiency, is achieved by minimizing the thickness of the dielectric flange as a result of reducing the mechanical load on it when equalizing the internal and external pressures.

The disadvantage of the data of the device and method is the complexity of the operation of the laser and its large dimensions, since the presence of an X-ray preionization unit causes the use of too complex a laser camera, the cross section of which has a track configuration. In addition, deformation of a laser chamber of complex shape when it is filled with high-pressure gas can lead to the destruction of a ceramic flange rigidly fixed to it.

From Coherent Inc. Excimer / UV Optical Systems Product Catalog 2012 is known for one of the most powerful gas-discharge excimer laser systems for industrial applications - the VYPER double-beam laser, which includes two identical compact lasers located on a common chassis, similar to those described in US6757315. Each of the lasers contains a housing in the form of a metal pipe on which a compact ceramic discharge chamber with an extended metal flange is mounted. A high-voltage electrode and a preionization unit are installed on the high-voltage metal flange of the ceramic chamber. The method of generating laser radiation involves the simultaneous synchronized pumping of two identical lasers and the combination of two parallel laser beams outside the laser.

These device and method provide laser radiation parameters that are optimal for a number of technological applications with a generation energy level of 1 J / pulse and a laser UV power of 600 W for each laser with an electrode length of about 1 m.

However, a further increase in the generation energy of the laser system is difficult due to the use of preionization in each of its lasers with a low-current corona discharge and the limited size of the ceramic discharge chamber mounted on a metal case with a gas circulation system. Since the gas flow in the discharge chamber sharply changes direction, this does not allow to effectively increase the gas velocity in the interelectrode gap, limiting the further increase in the repetition rate of discharge pulses and the average laser radiation power.

Partially these drawbacks are deprived of a gas discharge, in particular, an excimer laser or a molecular fluorine laser, known from patent RU2446530, which is the closest technical solution that can be selected as a prototype. The laser includes: a laser chamber filled with a gas mixture, consisting mainly of metal, an extended first electrode and a second electrode located opposite each other and defining a discharge region between them, with a first electrode located on the side of the metal wall of the laser chamber; at least one extended preionization unit; two extended ceramic containers located near the first electrode, a set of capacitors located in each of the ceramic containers, the capacitors being connected to the first and second electrodes through high-voltage and grounded current leads of each ceramic container and through gas-permeable return current conductors located on both sides of the first and second electrodes; a power source connected to capacitors; gas circulation system and resonator.

Hereinafter, “current leads” mean the same as “electrical inputs”.

In the specified device, ceramic containers made in the form of round cylindrical pipes are installed on both sides of the electrodes. The container surfaces facing the discharge region and flush with the first electrode serve as gas flow guides. The method of generating laser radiation includes performing pulsed charging of capacitors placed in ceramic containers using a power source, preionizing the gas between the first and second electrodes, performing a discharge between the first and second electrodes, and generating laser radiation. Preionization is carried out by UV radiation of a completed sliding discharge, which allows to effectively increase the discharge aperture.

The laser is characterized by a simple, cheap and reliable design of the laser chamber, which provides a high gas flow rate between the electrodes and the possibility of achieving a high average laser radiation power.

The device limits the charging speed of pulsed capacitors through the ends of ceramic containers, leading to a decrease in the laser efficiency. To ignite the auxiliary discharge of the preionization unit in a metal laser chamber, it is necessary to have isolated current leads, which complicates the design of the laser chamber. Also in the laser, the possibility of increasing the generation energy is limited due to the limited dimensions of the containers and, accordingly, the limited energy reserve of the capacitors placed in them. In addition, the increase in the interelectrode distance required to increase the generation energy leads to an increase in the discharge voltage, which complicates the operation of the laser and is accompanied by the need to increase the dimensions of the ceramic parts of the laser, which serve as high-voltage insulators, and the laser chamber as a whole, which complicates its design. The geometry of ceramic containers in the form of round cylinders may not fully satisfy the conditions for minimizing the inductance of the discharge circuit, which may reduce the laser efficiency with increasing generation energy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is the creation of the most powerful gas-discharge, in particular, excimer lasers and laser systems.

The technical result of the invention is to improve the design of the cermet laser, increase the generation energy, average radiation power at high efficiency of the laser or laser system and reduce the cost of generating the generation energy.

To solve these problems, a gas-discharge, in particular, an excimer laser or a molecular fluorine laser is proposed, which includes: a laser chamber filled with a gas mixture, consisting mainly of metal, an extended first electrode and a second electrode located opposite each other and determining the discharge region between them , with a first electrode located on the side of the metal wall of the laser chamber; at least one extended preionization unit; located near the first electrode or two extended ceramic containers,

either one extended ceramic container,

a set of capacitors located in each of the ceramic containers, the capacitors being connected to the first and second electrodes through high-voltage and grounded current leads of each ceramic container and through gas-permeable return current conductors located on both sides of the first and second electrodes; a power source connected to capacitors; gas circulation system and resonator, while

on the side of the first electrode, sealed high-voltage current leads are installed along the metal wall of the laser chamber, each of which is equipped with a ceramic insulator; inside the laser chamber, on either side of either ceramic containers or a ceramic container, there are extended grounded conductors connected to the metal wall of the laser chamber, and the source the power supply is inductively connected to capacitors through the aforementioned high-voltage current leads and grounded current leads, as well as through a high-voltage earthed and grounded current leads of each ceramic container.

Preferably, the end parts of each ceramic container are hermetically attached to the ends of the laser chamber with the possibility of access or hermetic connection to the inside of the container.

It is preferable that at least one ceramic container contains auxiliary capacitors, the capacitance of which is many times smaller than the capacitance of the capacitors, auxiliary sealed current leads are installed along the container, through which one of the plates of the auxiliary capacitors is connected to the preionization unit.

In embodiments of the invention, parts of the surface of each ceramic container facing the discharge region are flush with the first electrode, forming gas flow guides located upstream and downstream near the first electrode.

In embodiments of the invention, at least a portion of each elongated ceramic container is placed to the side of the discharge region, forming gas flow guides or spoilers located upstream and / or downstream of the discharge region that significantly change the direction of the gas stream when passing through the discharge region.

In some embodiments of the invention, one extended ceramic container is installed near the first electrode, the surface of which, facing the discharge region, has an extended niche in which the first electrode is placed.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a laser, in the laser chamber of which either one or two additional extended ceramic containers are placed, each additional ceramic container is located near the second electrode, additional capacitors are placed in each additional ceramic container, and walls of each additional ceramic container are installed along it sealed high-voltage current leads and grounded current leads, while the capacitors are connected to the second electrode through g zopronitsaemye inverse conductors, high current leads and the grounded current leads each additional container and additional capacitors placed outside the laser chamber connected to the additional capacitors additional power source with polarity opposite to the polarity of the power source.

Preferably, the end parts of each additional ceramic container are hermetically attached to the ends of the laser chamber with the possibility of access or hermetic connection to the inner part of the additional container.

Preferably, the additional power source is connected to additional capacitors from the ends of each additional ceramic container.

It is preferable that the time delay between switching on the additional power source and the power source is equal to the difference between the pulse time of charging additional capacitors and the charging time of the capacitors.

Preferably, the surface portions of each additional ceramic container facing the discharge region form gas flow guides located upstream and downstream near the second electrode.

In embodiments of the invention, grounded gas-permeable conductors are concave toward the discharge region.

In embodiments of the invention, at least one preionization unit is located in the immediate vicinity of the second electrode, and at least one additional ceramic container, along its length, has auxiliary sealed current leads and auxiliary capacitors, one of the plates of which is connected to preionization block through auxiliary current leads.

In embodiments of the invention, one additional ceramic container may be installed near the second electrode, the surface of which, facing the discharge region, has an extended niche in which the second electrode is placed.

In some embodiments of the invention, the laser chamber may be provided with an additional gas circulation system.

In embodiments of the invention, the first electrode and the second electrode are solid, and at least one preionization unit is installed on the side of either the first electrode or the second electrode.

In embodiments of the invention, either the first electrode or the second electrode is partially transparent, and a preionization unit is mounted on the back of the partially transparent electrode.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the preionization unit comprises a system for generating an extended uniform sliding discharge over the surface of the dielectric.

In some embodiments of the invention, the preionization unit comprises a corona discharge forming system.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, at least one ceramic container or additional ceramic container is in the form of either a round or rectangular pipe.

In embodiments of the invention, at least one ceramic container or an additional ceramic container is filled with either a gas or liquid electrically strong medium under a pressure close to the gas pressure in the laser chamber, and a system is hermetically connected to the ends of each container filled with an electrically strong medium maintaining pressure of an electrically durable medium close to the gas pressure in the laser chamber, and the pressure maintenance system is configured to circulate and cool electrically durable Wednesday.

The invention in another aspect relates to a method for generating laser radiation, which consists in performing pulsed charging of capacitors placed in each ceramic container using a power source and gas preionization between the first and second electrodes, performing a discharge between the first and second electrodes and generating a laser beam, which

preliminarily include an additional power source and from the ends of each additional ceramic container carry out pulse charging of additional capacitors, then with a time delay equal to the difference in charging times of additional capacitors and capacitors, turn on the power source and carry out fast pulse charging of capacitors with a voltage whose polarity is opposite to that of the additional charging voltage capacitors, after the moment of simultaneous completion of charging the condensate trench capacitors and additional discharge is performed between the high voltage first and second electrodes of opposite polarity by a low-inductance discharge circuit including a capacitor and additional capacitors are serially connected together through the gas-permeable conductors, concave toward the discharge region.

In some embodiments of the invention, with a time delay with respect to the moment the additional power supply is turned on, equal to the difference in the charging times of the additional capacitors and capacitors, preionization is performed from the side of the first electrode.

The invention in another aspect relates to a method for generating laser radiation, comprising preionizing the gas mixture between the first and second electrodes, performing a discharge between the first and second electrodes, and generating a laser beam, in which

during the operation of the laser, the pressure of an electrically strong medium is maintained, filling at least one ceramic container, or an additional ceramic container, close to the pressure of the gas mixture in the laser chamber.

The invention in another aspect relates to a laser system comprising a chassis on which a first laser, made in accordance with the present invention, is located, a second laser identical to the first, wherein the power sources of the first and second lasers are combined in a common power source of the laser system.

In embodiments of the invention, a delay line is introduced between the second laser capacitors and the common power source in order to delay the ignition of the discharge in the second laser for a time not exceeding the length of the time interval between the moment of ignition of the discharge and the moment the generation threshold is reached in the first laser, and is placed on the chassis an optical communication system between two lasers, which provides injection into the second laser of an external optical signal, which is a small part of the radiation of the first laser.

In some embodiments of the invention, the laser system comprises a chassis on which a first laser made in accordance with the present invention is placed, a second laser identical to the first, wherein the power sources of the first and second lasers are combined in a common power source, and additional power sources of the first and second lasers combined in a common additional power source.

The invention, in another aspect, relates to a method for generating laser radiation by means of a laser system, which comprises performing gas preionization in each laser, discharging between the first and second electrodes, and generating a laser beam, in which

after ignition of the discharge in the first laser, the discharge in the second laser is ignited with a time delay not exceeding the duration of the time interval between the moment of ignition of the discharge and the moment of reaching the generation threshold in the first laser, and using an optical communication system, an external optical signal is injected into the second laser, which is a small part of the radiation of the first laser, lowering the generation threshold in the second laser.

The above and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and claims.

The description is given in a form sufficient to understand the principles of the invention by specialists in the field of laser technology. A detailed description of the components of gas-discharge, in particular, excimer lasers can be found in Patent US20030118072;

Patent US 6757315; Exdmer Laser Technology, Ed. by D. Basting, G. Marowsky. Springer-Verglas Berlin Heidelberg (2005).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, which are presented in a form sufficient to understand the principles of the invention, and in no way limit the scope of the present invention.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a cross section of a gas discharge laser with a high pulse repetition rate.

Figure 2 is a part of a longitudinal section of the same laser variant along the axis of one of the two ceramic containers.

Figure 3 is a cross section of a wide-aperture laser with preionization of the radiation of a sliding discharge.

Figure 4 is a cross section of a laser with ceramic containers, significantly changing the direction of the gas stream during the passage of the discharge region.

5 is a cross section of a laser with a preionization of corona discharge radiation.

6 is a cross section of a laser with one ceramic container mounted near the first electrode.

7 is a cross section of a laser with additional containers and an additional power source.

8 is a cross section of a laser with an additional gas circulation system.

Fig.9 is a cross section of a laser system.

Figure 10 is a cross section of a laser system with an additional power source.

11 is a block diagram of an optical communication system of a laser system.

In the drawings, matching device elements are denoted by the same reference numbers.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A gas-discharge laser, in particular an excimer laser or a molecular fluorine laser, the cross-section of which in one embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1, includes: a laser chamber 1, consisting mainly of metal and filled with a gas mixture. The laser also contains an extended first electrode 2 and a second electrode 3 located opposite each other and defining a discharge region 4 between them, with a first electrode 2 located on the side of the metal wall 5 of the laser chamber 1; at least one extended block preionization 6.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the first electrode 2 and the second electrode 3 are solid. One preionization unit 6, located on the side of the second electrode 3, contains a system for the formation of an extended uniform sliding discharge along the surface of the dielectric, in particular, on the surface of the sapphire plate 7, covering the initiating (as we call it) electrode 8, with igniting (as we call it) an electrode 9 located on the surface of the dielectric plate 7. In this case, the initiating electrode 8 of the preionization unit 6 is aligned with the second electrode 3 of the laser.

Near the first electrode 2 there are either one or, as shown in FIG. 1, two long ceramic containers 10 in which a set of capacitors 11 is placed. Capacitors 11 are connected to the first and second electrodes 2, 3 through high-voltage current leads 12 and grounded current leads 13 each ceramic container 10 and through gas-permeable return current conductors 14 located on both sides of the first and second electrodes 2, 3. A power supply 15 is connected to the capacitors 11, intended for their pulse charging to the breakdown voltage, both sintering a gas discharge between the first and second electrodes 2, 3 to excite the laser gas mixture.

To update the gas in the discharge region 4 between successive discharge pulses, a gas circulation system is placed in the laser chamber 1, comprising a diametrical fan 16, water-cooled heat exchanger tubes 17, spoilers 18, 19 and guide vanes or vane 20 for forming a high-speed gas flow between the first and second electrodes 2, 3.

In accordance with the invention, from the side of the first electrode 2 in the metal wall 5 of the laser chamber 1, sealed high-voltage current leads 21 are installed along it, each of which is equipped with a ceramic insulator 22. Inside the laser chamber 1 on both sides of the ceramic containers 10 there are extended grounded current leads 23 connected to metal wall 5 of the laser chamber 1. In this case, the power source 15 is inductively connected to the capacitors 11 through high-voltage current leads 21 and grounded current leads 23, as well as through high -voltage and grounded current leads 12, 13 of each container 10 is a ceramic.

To generate a laser beam (not shown), a resonator is placed outside the laser chamber 1 (not shown for simplicity).

The proposed laser design is simple and reliable. The low-inductance connection of the switching power supply 15 to the capacitors through high-voltage current leads 21, equipped with ceramic insulators 22, and grounded current leads 23, as well as through current leads 12, 13 of each ceramic container 10, reduces the pulse charging time of the capacitors 11. To ensure low inductance of the capacitor charging circuit 14 the number of insulated current leads 21 in the laser chamber should be about 6 pieces per 1 m of electrode length. Compared with the device known from RU2446530, the rate of rise of the electric field and the magnitude of the electric field in the region of discharge 4 at the stage of breakdown are increased. This improves the uniformity of the volumetric discharge of the laser and increases the stability of the uniform shape of the discharge to acoustic disturbances arising in the laser chamber at a high pulse repetition rate. As a result, an increase in the laser efficiency is achieved and a minimum coefficient K of gas change in the discharge volume at a high pulse repetition rate, which is sufficient to maintain the maximum laser efficiency, is reduced. As a result, the average radiation power increases at high laser efficiency and its operating costs are reduced.

High laser efficiency is also achieved due to the high level of preionization provided by the UV radiation of a uniform sliding discharge, and the low inductance of the discharge circuit due to the placement of capacitors 11, with the help of which the energy is input into the main volume discharge of the laser in the immediate vicinity of the discharge volume 4.

In figure 1, each ceramic container 16 has the shape of a rectangular tube, which ensures the compactness of the ceramic containers 10 with a high degree of filling them with ceramic capacitors 11 used for high-power gas-discharge lasers. As a result, a small inductance of the discharge circuit and an increase in the laser efficiency are achieved.

In Fig. 1, parts 24, 25 of the surface of each ceramic container 10 facing the discharge region 4 are flush with the first electrode 2, forming gas flow guides located upstream and downstream near the first electrode 2. This allows you to generate a high-speed gas flow in the discharge region 4.

For automatic preionization, simplifying the operation of the laser, auxiliary capacitors 26 are placed in at least one ceramic container 10, the capacitance of which is many times smaller than the capacitance of the capacitors 11. Along the length of each container 16 containing auxiliary capacitors 26, auxiliary sealed current leads 27 are installed. One of the plates auxiliary capacitors 26 is connected to the preionization unit 6 through auxiliary current leads 27 of the ceramic container 10 and an extended auxiliary gas itsaemy return conductor 28 (Figure 1).

Figure 2 shows a part of the cross section of the device along one of the ceramic containers 10, for the same laser variant as in Figure 1. In accordance with the invention, the end parts 29 of each ceramic container 10 are hermetically attached to the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1 with the possibility of access or hermetic connection to the inside of the container 10. In one embodiment, the end parts 29 of each ceramic container 10 are hermetically attached to the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1 using the connecting device 31 (Figure 2). On each of the two ends 30 of the laser chamber 1, optical windows 32 are installed for the exit of a laser beam (not shown).

The sealing of ceramic containers 16 at the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1 with the possibility of access or tight connection to the inside of the container 10 allows pumping an electrically strong medium, for example air, through condensers 11 and auxiliary condensers 26, cooling them, eliminating the ozone formed in the containers 16 or preventing the possibility of his education. All this provides highly efficient laser operation in a long-term mode. The use of the connecting device 31 enables reliable tight sealing of the end parts 29 of the ceramic containers 10 of various shapes in close proximity to the optical windows 32 of the laser.

In other embodiments, the end parts 29 of the containers are brought out through the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1 and hermetically fixed in the holes made in the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1.

A gas discharge laser operates as follows. The inclusion of the pulse source 15, located outside the laser chamber 1, consisting mainly of metal. The capacitors 11 are pulse charged, located in the embodiment of the invention in two ceramic containers 10 and connected to the extended first and second electrodes 2, 3, located opposite each other and defining the discharge region 4 between them, with the first electrode 2 located on the side of the metal wall 5 laser chamber 1. In an embodiment of the invention, the ceramic containers 10 are made in the form of rectangular tubes (Figure 1). The capacitors 11 are charged via a low-inductance electric circuit, which includes sealed high-voltage current leads 21 installed along the first electrode 2 in the metal wall 5 of the laser chamber 1 and insulated from the metal wall 5 by ceramic insulators 22. The low-inductance capacitor charging circuit 11 also includes sealed current leads 12, 13 of ceramic containers 10 and located inside the laser chamber 1 on both sides of ceramic containers 10 long grounded conductors 2 3, connected to the metal wall 5 of the laser chamber 1. At the same time, auxiliary capacitors 26 are charged, placed in at least one of the ceramic containers 10. The auxiliary capacitors 26 are charged through an electric circuit that includes auxiliary current leads 27 of the container 10, extended a gas-permeable auxiliary current lead 28, a discharge gap between the ignition and initiating electrodes 9, 8 of the preionization unit 6, gas-permeable return conductors 14.

Moreover, the optimized value of the capacitance of the auxiliary capacitors 26 is many times smaller than the capacitance of the capacitors 11, which determines the relatively small energy input into the auxiliary discharge of the preionization unit 5. The UV radiation of the auxiliary completed sliding discharge over the surface of the extended sapphire plate 7 carries out preionization of the gas in the region of the discharge 4. Upon reaching breakdown voltage at the electrodes 2, 3, between them a volumetric gas discharge is ignited. The energy stored in the capacitors 11 is invested in a discharge along a low-inductance discharge circuit, including high-voltage and grounded current leads 12, 13 of ceramic containers 10 and gas-permeable return current conductors 14 located on both sides of the first and second electrodes 2, 3. The discharge provides gas excitation mixtures in the region of discharge 4, which makes it possible to obtain laser beam generation. The laser radiation is output through one of two optical windows 32 mounted on each of the two ends 30 of the laser camera 1 (Figure 2). When using a gas circulation system containing a diametrical fan 16, water-cooled heat exchanger tubes 17, gas flow guides, which include spoilers 18, 19, guide vanes or vanes 20, and surface parts 24, 25 of ceramic containers 10, preferably flush with the first electrode 2, will replace the gas in the region of discharge 4, the cycle of the laser is repeated.

In the process, through the containers 10, the end parts 29 of which are hermetically fixed to the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1, for example, by means of a connecting device 31 (Figure 2), a flow of electrically strong medium, in particular air, is carried out. Due to this, the condensers 11 and auxiliary condensers 26 are cooled, as well as eliminating ozone or the possibility of its formation in containers 10.

In the proposed laser design, a low-inductance connection of the switching power supply 15 to the capacitors 11 is achieved by introducing sealed high-voltage current leads 21 equipped with ceramic insulators 22 and extended grounded conductors 23. This significantly reduces the pulse charging time of the capacitors 11, increases the slew rate of the electric field and increases the magnitude electric field strength in the region of discharge 4 at the stage of breakdown. This improves the uniformity of the volumetric discharge of the laser and increases the stability of the uniform shape of the discharge to acoustic disturbances arising in the laser chamber at a high pulse repetition rate. As a result, an increase in the laser efficiency is achieved and a minimum coefficient K of gas change in the discharge volume at a high pulse repetition rate, which is sufficient to maintain the maximum laser efficiency, is reduced. As a result, the average radiation power increases at high laser efficiency and its operating costs are reduced.

Placing at least one ceramic container 10 of auxiliary capacitors 26 connected to the preionization unit 6 allows for highly efficient automatic UV preionization. This simplifies the circuit of the switching power supply 15 and eliminates the need for special insulated current leads in the laser chamber 1 to power the preionization unit 6. All this simplifies the design and operation of the laser.

The implementation of the current leads 21 of the laser chamber and the current leads 12, 13, 27 of the ceramic containers 10 are sealed to separate the gas medium of the laser from the outside atmosphere.

The use of ceramic insulators 22 in high-voltage current leads 21 provides a long time for the laser gas mixture.

The shape of the containers 10 in the form of rectangular pipes (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 9) allows for a low inductance of the discharge circuit and to increase the laser efficiency. In addition, the flat extended parts 24, 25 of the containers 10, located flush with the first electrode, forming gas flow guides located upstream and downstream near it, can efficiently generate a high-speed gas flow in the discharge region 4, which makes it possible to realize a highly efficient laser operation with high average radiation power.

In a preferred embodiment, the preionization unit 5 comprises a system for generating an extended uniform sliding discharge over the surface of the dielectric. The use for the preionization of UV radiation of a sliding discharge (Figs. 1, 3, 4, 6-10) in the form of an extended plasma sheet on the surface of the dielectric (sapphire) 7 allows to realize a uniform and optimally high level of preionization in the region of the discharge 4 due to the possibility of adjusting the energy input into creeping discharge. This ensures high: laser efficiency, laser beam quality and stability of the laser in the long-term mode, which is the advantage of this type of preionization.

If the voltage amplitude is limited, the discharge along the surface of the dielectric can be corona. In accordance with this block preionization 6 may contain a system for the formation of a corona discharge.

The sealing of the containers 10 at the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1 in the proposed manner allows the flow of an electrically strong medium, such as air through capacitors 11, 26, to cool them and eliminate the ozone formed in the containers 10 or to prevent the possibility of its formation during the operation of the laser. All this provides highly efficient laser operation of the proposed design in a long-term mode. The use of the connecting device 31 provides a multivariance and universality of the design of the fastening of containers of various shapes and their placement near the optical windows 32 of the laser. At the same time, compact design of the laser and low inductance of the discharge circuit, which is necessary for high laser efficiency, are achieved. In other embodiments, the end parts 29 of the containers can be brought out through the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1 and hermetically fixed to them.

To seal the laser chamber and its elements, gaskets made of either metal or a halogen-resistant elastomer can be used in accordance with two sealing technologies adopted for sealing excimer lasers, which ensure a long lifetime of the gas mixture.

In the laser embodiment, either the first electrode (Fig. 3, 8-10) or the second electrode (Fig. 7) is partially transparent due to the presence of slit windows 33 on its working surface. In this case, the preionization unit 6 is mounted on the back side of the partially transparent electrode . As an embodiment, the preionization unit 6 is made in the form of a compact symmetrical ignition system for a sliding discharge on the surface of a dielectric, mainly sapphire plate 7, covering the initiating electrode 8, on the surface of which an ignition electrode 9 is installed.

In these embodiments of the invention, when the laser is operated, the preionization of the discharge region 4 is carried out by UV radiation of the preionization unit 6 through a partially transparent electrode with slotted transparency windows 33 (Fig. 3); otherwise, the laser operation does not differ from that described previously.

The use of a partially transparent electrode makes it possible to realize a wide-aperture uniform volume discharge with a compact low-inductance laser discharge system and high gas change efficiency in the region of discharge 4, i.e., with a small, ~ 1 gas change coefficient K, sufficient for efficient highly stable operation of a high-power laser. As a result, an increase in the generation energy and laser radiation power is achieved at a high laser efficiency.

In the laser variants, the containers have the shape of round tubes (Figs. 3, 7, 8, 10), which ensures the simplicity of their design, the greatest mechanical strength and, accordingly, the reliability of ceramic containers loaded with high external pressure of the laser gas mixture.

Example 1 of the invention. An example of a practical implementation of the invention is a powerful excimer laser with the possibility of generation on molecular fluorine, characterized by a high pulse repetition rate up to 5 kHz. The laser device is similar to that shown in FIGS. 1, 2. The diameter of the metal laser chamber was 370 mm. Ceramic containers in the form of square tubes were hermetically fixed to the ends of the chamber by means of a connecting device. Through the ends of the ceramic containers 10 by means of a fan, the capacitors and auxiliary capacitors were purged with air. With a discharge volume of 1.3 × 18 × 580 mm ³ , the laser power during lasing on ArF reached 160 W at a pulse repetition rate of f = 5000 Hz with an efficiency of 1.6% from the outlet. With an increase in the discharge length to ~ 1 m, the expected ArF laser power will be more than 250 W. When generating on KrF, the laser power was approximately two times higher.

Example 2 of the invention. Another example of the practical implementation of the invention is a powerful wide-aperture excimer laser XeCl laser. The laser device is similar to that shown in Fig.3. The diameter of the metal laser chamber was 580 mm, the ceramic containers were made in the form of round cylindrical tubes brought out through the ends of the laser chamber and hermetically fixed to them. With a discharge volume of 23 × 50 × 690 mm ³ , the laser power reached 420 W at f = 350 Hz with an efficiency of 2% from the outlet. With an increase in the discharge length to ~ 1 m, the expected XeCl laser power will be about 600 W.

The above examples and other experimental results indicate that the design of the lasers proposed in accordance with the present invention using a metal laser camera and ceramic containers with capacitors located in them in the immediate vicinity of the discharge region makes it possible to realize a series of powerful highly efficient highly stable excimer lasers with various combinations of radiation wavelength, generation energy and pulse repetition rate. At the same time, the proposed design of the lasers is distinguished by sufficient simplicity and manufacturability, as well as low cost, provides a long lifetime of the gas mixture, a uniform high-speed gas flow between the electrodes, a low inductance of the discharge circuit, the possibility of increasing the laser aperture, generation energy, and power at high efficiency.

The following embodiments of the invention allow him to acquire new positive qualities.

An increase in the discharge aperture and an increase in the generation energy can be achieved without the use of partially transparent electrodes that are quite difficult to manufacture. In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4, the first electrode 2 and the second electrode 3 are solid, and two preionization units are located on the sides of the first electrode 2. Each of the two identical preionization units 6 is made in the form of a sliding discharge formation system similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and described above. This type of discharge system (Fig. 4 and Fig. 6) makes it possible to realize a wide-aperture uniform volume discharge when using solid electrodes 2, 3 of a simple design.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, in order to reduce the inductance of the discharge circuit, the capacitors 11 can be even closer to the region of the discharge 4. In these embodiments, at least parts 24, 25 of the extended ceramic containers 10 are placed on the side of the region of the discharge 4 forming gas flow guides or spoilers located upstream and / or downstream of the discharge region 4, which significantly change the direction of the gas flow when passing the discharge region 4.

In such a discharge configuration, similar to that implemented in a laser known from US Patent 6757315, as well as in the VYPER laser system, the direction of the gas flow changes enough direction passing through the discharge region 4. Such a gas flow geometry can be effective, since it easily eliminates the undesirable the effect of separation of the gas stream from the second electrode after the discharge region 4 passes through the stream. The present invention allows to optimize the geometry of the gas stream over a wider range compared to the specified a tax. In addition, by placing ceramic containers 10 on the sides of the discharge region 4, the capacitors 11 located therein can be as close as possible to the discharge region 4. Moreover, in the proposed invention, the container wall may be thinner than the wall of the discharge chamber of lasers known from US Patent 6757315 and used in the powerful laser system VYPER. Accordingly, the inductance of the discharge circuit can be reduced, which ensures an increase in the laser efficiency and the possibility of a highly efficient increase in the generation energy.

5, the preionization unit 6 includes two identical systems of the formation of an extended corona discharge located on the sides of the first electrode 2, each of which is made in the form of a dielectric tube 34 made of Al ₂ O ₃ ceramic or sapphire, the inner surface of which is aligned with the surface of dielectric tube 34 of the inner electrode 35, which is electrically connected from the end of the tube to the opposite second laser electrode 3 (the connection is not shown for simplicity).

In the laser embodiment shown in FIG. 5, when a voltage is applied to the first electrode 2, a corona discharge is automatically carried out between the electrode 2 and the inner electrode 35 of each preionization unit 6 through the dielectric barrier of the tube 34. UV radiation of the corona discharges on the sides of the laser electrode 2 carries out preionization of the region discharge 4. The rest of the laser operation is carried out similarly as described above.

Using for preionization of two identical compact systems for the formation of an extended corona discharge (Figure 5) allows us to simplify the discharge system of the laser and reduce the inductance of the discharge circuit.

In General, the placement of at least part of at least one extended ceramic container on the side of the discharge region, as illustrated in Figures 4, 5, allows to minimize the discharge circuit inductance, which increases the laser efficiency.

Figure 6 presents an embodiment of the invention in which, near the first electrode 2, one extended ceramic container 10 is installed, the surface of which facing the discharge region has an extended niche 36 in which the first electrode 2 is placed. Along with the electrode 2, in the niche 36 are placed two identical preionization units 6. The first electrode 2 is preferably flush with the parts 24, 25 of the ceramic container 10 facing the discharge region and forming gas flow guides up and down from the first electrode 2. This embodiment of the invention allows to optimize the shape of the ceramic container 10 for the formation of a high-speed gas flow in the discharge region, to ensure low inductance of the discharge circuit, to increase the number and energy reserve of the capacitors 11 placed therein.

Optimized from the point of view of increasing laser power, the shape of the container 10 (Fig.6) differs from that used in the prototype round cylinder shape. This causes increased mechanical stresses in the container 10 caused by the pressure of the gas mixture in the laser chamber. To reduce mechanical stresses during operation, such a container 10, in accordance with embodiments of the invention, is filled with either a gaseous (e.g., nitrogen) or liquid (e.g., Galden Fluid) electrically strong medium 37 under a pressure close to the gas pressure in the laser chamber 1. When this to the ends of the container 10 is hermetically connected a system 38 for maintaining the pressure of an electrically durable medium close to the gas pressure in the laser chamber 1, made with the possibility of circulation and cooling of the electrically durable medium 37, which, if necessary bridge, allows to maintain optimum conditions of the capacitors 11, 26 in a mode with high pulse repetition frequency.

In this embodiment of the invention, during the operation of the laser using the system 38, the pressure of an electrically strong medium 37 is maintained, which fills at least one ceramic container 10 with capacitors 11 placed therein close to the gas pressure in the laser chamber 1.

All this makes it possible to increase the generation energy and the average laser power at high efficiency.

Other embodiments of the invention are aimed at further increasing the discharge aperture, lasing energy and laser power. In these embodiments, illustrated in FIG. 7 as well as FIG. 8, FIG. 10, either two extended additional ceramic containers 39 (FIG. 7, FIG. 10) or one extended additional ceramic container 39 (FIG. .8). Each additional ceramic container 39 is located mainly on the non-working side of the second electrode 3. Additional capacitors 40 are placed in each additional container 39. Sealed high-voltage current leads 41 and grounded current leads 42 are installed along the walls of each additional container 39. The capacitors 11 are connected to the second electrode 3 through grounded gas-permeable current leads 14, concave towards the discharge region 4, through current leads 41, 42 of each additional container 39 and additional e capacitors 40. An external power source 47 is placed outside the laser chamber 1, the polarity of which is opposite to the polarity of the power source 15. The additional power source 47 is preferably connected to additional capacitors 39 from the ends of each additional container 39. The end parts of each additional ceramic container 39 are hermetically fixed to the ends metal laser camera 1 with access or sealed connection to the inside of the additional container (not showing ano). In this case, parts of the surface 44, 45 of each additional container 39, facing the discharge region 4, form gas flow guides located upstream and downstream near the second electrode 3. In embodiments of the invention, at least one additional container 39 is made in the form of either a round (Fig. 7) or a rectangular (Fig. 8) pipe.

In the embodiments of the invention, as shown in FIG. 7, at least one preionization unit 6 is located in the immediate vicinity of the second electrode 3, and at least one additional ceramic container 39, along its length, has auxiliary sealed current leads 27 and auxiliary capacitors 26 are placed, one of the plates of which is connected to the preionization unit 6 through auxiliary current leads 27.

The method of generating laser radiation in these embodiments of the invention (Fig.7, 8) is as follows. An additional power source 43 is turned on, and from the ends of each additional ceramic container 39, the additional capacitors 40 are pulsedly charged relatively slowly, since the inductance of their charging circuit is relatively large. In the embodiment of the invention (Fig. 7), from the moment the additional power source 43 is turned on, automatic preionization is performed by charging auxiliary capacitors 26 through the auxiliary discharge gap or intervals of the preionization unit 6. Then, with a time delay equal to the difference in the charging times of additional capacitors 40 and capacitors 11 include a power source 15 and carry out rapid pulse charging of the capacitors 11 voltage, the polarity of which is opposite to the polarity of the voltage rows of additional capacitors 40. By the time the capacitors 11 and additional capacitors 40 are simultaneously charged, discharge between the high-voltage first and second electrodes 2, 3 of opposite polarity along a low-inductance discharge circuit, including capacitors 11 and additional capacitors 40, connected in series through grounded gas-permeable current leads 14, concave towards the discharge region, and current leads 12, 13 and 41, 42 of containers 10 and additional containers 39. In the cut ltate get lasing. After the gas circulation system changes gas between the electrodes 2, 3, the laser cycle is repeated.

The introduction of additional ceramic containers 39 with additional capacitors 40 located in them allows significantly, approximately twice as compared with the embodiments of the device shown in Figs. 1-5, to increase the total energy stored in the capacitors connected to the first and second laser electrodes 2, 3 This significantly, approximately doubled, allows to increase the laser generation energy.

Introduction for charging additional capacitors 40 of an additional power source 43, the polarity of which is opposite to the polarity of the power source 15, significantly reduces the potential difference between the grounded and high-voltage elements of the discharge circuit of the laser, which significantly reduces the requirements for electrical insulation, allowing to reduce the dimensions of the elements of the discharge circuit and minimize its inductance . This makes it possible to increase the length of the electrodes and increase the laser generation energy with a low inductance of the discharge circuit and high laser efficiency. In addition, due to a significant reduction in voltage, the operation of the laser is simplified and its reliability is increased.

The tight fastening of each additional ceramic container 39 at the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1 with the possibility of access or tight connection to the inner part of the container 10 allows the flow of an electrically strong medium, such as air, through the capacitors 40, 26 to cool them and eliminate the containers of 39 ozone. This provides highly effective reliable and stable operation of the laser of the proposed design in the long-term mode. In addition, it is possible to charge additional capacitors 40 from the ends of each additional container 39.

The implementation of charging additional capacitors 40 with an additional power source 43 from the ends of each additional container 39 is structurally most simple. Since the inductance of the circuit and the charging time of the additional capacitors 40 are longer than the capacitors 11, in order to achieve the maximum rate of increase of the electric field in the interelectrode gap at the pre-breakdown stage of the discharge and to ensure a uniform stable discharge, the power source 15 is turned on with the specified time delay with respect to the moment the additional source 43 .

The use of additional containers 39 in the form of round cylindrical pipes (Fig.7) provides the greatest simplicity of their design, mechanical strength and, accordingly, the reliability of ceramic containers loaded with high external pressure.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 8, an additional gas circulation system is introduced, comprising an additional diametrical fan 46, water-cooled additional heat exchanger tubes 47, a system of additional guide vanes and spoilers 48, 49, 50. Due to this, the gas change rate is significantly increased between the first and second electrodes 2, 3 and improves the cooling of the gas mixture, which allows to increase the pulse repetition rate and the average laser power.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8, the preionization unit 6 is located near the first electrode. For this embodiment of the invention, preionization is carried out automatically from the moment the power source 15 is turned on with a time delay relative to the moment the additional power source 43 is turned on, equal to the difference in the charging times of the additional capacitors 40 and the capacitors 11. The preionization is carried out by quickly pulsing the auxiliary capacitors 26 through the discharge gap of the unit preionization 6. This helps to increase the uniformity of the auxiliary discharge, and as a result, increases uniformly aw and stability of the main discharge. Otherwise, the laser functions as described above.

The possibility of a highly effective automatic preionization proposed in this embodiment of the invention with a time delay with respect to the moment of switching on the additional power source 43, that is, after the start of the growth of the discharge voltage, is not obvious. However, in accordance with experimental data, effective preionization in this mode can be carried out. This is due to the fact that gas mixtures of excimer lasers are characterized by a high electron attachment rate to the HCl, F ₂ halogen donors, which depends on the electric field strength between the first and second electrodes 2, 3. In this connection, preionization can provide the maximum laser efficiency for it starting from the moment the voltage on the electrodes 2, 3 of the laser is reached, at which the frequency of gas ionization by the electric field begins to prevail over the frequency of electron attachment to halogen donors. According to the experimental data, for characteristic times ~ 180 of no increase in voltage from the zero level to the breakdown level, the delay in the onset of the most effective preionization relative to the beginning of the increase in discharge voltage for the XeCl laser reaches 50 ns. The delay can be increased if the voltage growth rate is lower until the preionization unit is turned on. Thus, when the charging time of the capacitors is ~ 180 ns, the charging time of the additional capacitors 40 can be significantly longer than 230 ns, providing, in accordance with the proposed method for generating laser radiation, a highly efficient automatic preionization at the first electrode 2.

The introduction of the proposed number (either one or two) of additional ceramic containers is optimal to ensure the simplicity of the design of a powerful high-energy laser. The implementation of high-voltage and grounded current leads 41, 42 of additional ceramic containers 39 sealed is necessary to separate the laser gas environment from the outside atmosphere. To ensure low inductance of the discharge circuit, it is sufficient to install along each additional container 39 twelve high-voltage and grounded current leads 41, 42 per 1 m of electrode length.

The shape of the additional containers 39 in the form of rectangular pipes (Fig. 8) allows for a low inductance of the discharge circuit and to increase the laser efficiency. In addition, the flat extended parts 44, 45 of the containers 39, facing the discharge region 4, can effectively form a high-speed gas flow in it.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8, and 10, the shape of the grounded gas-permeable reverse conductors 14, concave towards the discharge region 4, corresponds to the shape of the equipotential lines of the electric field between the high-voltage electrodes 2, 3 of the opposite polarity. In this regard, a decrease in the inductance of the discharge circuit is achieved without distorting the configuration of the electric field in the region of discharge 4, which helps to achieve high laser efficiency.

All this makes it possible to highly efficiently increase the generation energy and laser power.

Variants of the invention, aimed at further increasing the energy and power of laser radiation, relate to the laser system. The double-beam laser system, schematically shown in Fig. 9, comprises a chassis 51 on which the first laser 52, made in accordance with the present invention and described above, and the second second laser 53 identical to the first are placed. The power sources of the first and second lasers are combined into a common power source 54. Conclusions 55, 56 of the common power source 54 are inductively connected to the capacitors 11 of each of the lasers 52, 53. It is preferable that the common power source 54 includes a laser pulse compression system 52, 53 containing two low inductive saturable reactors 57, 58, the terminals of which are aligned with the high voltage terminals 55, 56 of the common power supply 54. A delay line 60 can be introduced between the capacitors 11 of the second laser 53 and the common power source 54. In this case, the delay line 60 can be combined with the saturated inductor 58 of a common power supply 54.

During the operation of the two-beam laser system in each of the lasers 52, 53, the gas is preionized in synchronization between the first and second electrodes 2, 3 and the capacitors 11 are pulsed from a common power source 54 installed together with the lasers on the chassis 51. Then, the discharge between the first and the second electrodes 2, 3 and receive laser beam generation in each of the lasers 52, 53. In this case, the pulse charging of the capacitors 11 of each of the lasers 52, 53 is preferably carried out through compressing pulses n pitching low inductive saturable chokes 57, 58, the terminals of which are combined with the terminals 55, 56 of the common power supply 54. If necessary, the delay between the operation of the lasers 52, 53 is controlled using the delay line 60. Otherwise, the operation of each of the lasers 52, 53 does not differ from that described above, which makes it possible to obtain in the laser system the generation of two laser beams.

For applications, either two separate laser beams or one beam can be used. In the latter case, the combination of two laser beams is carried out in a special optical module, preferably placed outside the chassis 51.

When performed in this form, the laser system allows you to double, compared with a single laser, to increase the generation energy and laser power while maintaining the high efficiency of converting electrical energy into laser radiation energy. Moreover, due to the use of the chassis, which ensures the transportability of the system, and a common power source, the operation of the laser system is simpler than using two separate powerful lasers. In addition, synchronization of the operation of two lasers is achieved, the possibility of combining two laser beams into one is simplified.

In the embodiments of the invention schematically shown in FIG. 10, the laser system comprises a chassis 51 on which a first laser 52 made in accordance with the present invention is placed and identical to the first second laser 53. The power sources of the first and second lasers are combined into a common power source 54 and additional power sources of the first and second lasers 52, 53 are combined into a common additional power source 59.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, one additional ceramic container 39 is installed in the lasers near the second electrode 3, the surface of which, facing the discharge region, has an extended niche 36 in which the second electrode 3 is placed (Figure 10). This allows the formation of a high-speed gas flow between the first and second electrodes 2, 3, making it possible to increase the pulse repetition rate and increase the average laser radiation power.

Also, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, in each laser, the additional ceramic container 39 is filled with either a gas or liquid electrically strong medium 37 at a pressure close to the pressure of the gas mixture in the laser chamber 1, and to the ends of each additional container 39 filled with an electrically strong medium 37, a system 38 for maintaining the pressure of an electrically strong medium close to the pressure of the gas mixture in the laser chamber 1 is hermetically connected, the pressure maintaining system being made with the possibility of circulating yatsii and electrically robust cooling medium 37. This makes it possible to optimize in terms of increasing the laser power form additional container, while ensuring its reliability due to lower mechanical loads.

In this embodiment of the invention (FIG. 10), the operation of the laser system is implemented as follows. The common additional power source 59 is turned on and the additional capacitors 40 are pulsed from the ends of each additional ceramic container 48 of each laser 52, 53. Then, with a time delay equal to the difference in the charging times of the additional capacitors 40 and capacitors 11, the common power source 54 is turned on. After saturation low inductance chokes 57, 58 through the terminals 55, 56 of the common power source 54 carry out fast pulse charging of the capacitors 11 of each of the lasers 52, 53 voltage, the polarity of which opposite the polarity of the charging voltage of the additional capacitors 40. At the same time, automatic gas preionisation is carried out in the discharge region 4. After the moment of the simultaneous completion of charging of the capacitors 11 and additional capacitors 40, the discharges in the first and second lasers 52, 53 between the high-voltage first 2 and second 3 electrodes of opposite polarity along a low-inductance discharge circuit, including capacitors 11, additional capacitors 40, gas-permeable return conductors 14 current leads 12, 13, 41, 42, containers 10 and other containers 39, to provide radiation generation in each of the lasers 52, 53.

The embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIG. 10 make it possible to increase the generation energy and power of the laser system due to the use of the most high-energy and powerful lasers in its composition.

The following variants of the invention are aimed at more than a twofold increase in the radiation power of the laser system compared to the power of each of the two lasers included in it.

In these embodiments of the invention, a delay line 60 is introduced between the capacitors 11 of the second laser 53 and the common power supply 54 between the capacitors 11 of the second laser 53 and the ignition delay in the second laser 53 for a time not exceeding the length of the time interval between the moment the ignition of the discharge and the moment of reaching the generation threshold in the first laser 52. In these embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 11, an optical communication system 61 is placed on the chassis 51 between two lasers 52, 53, which provides injection into the second laser 53 of the external optical signal, which is a small part of the radiation of the first laser 52.

The optical communication system 61 between the lasers 52, 53 can be placed either inside or outside (11) of the resonator mirrors 62, 63 of each laser. As an embodiment of the invention, the optical communication system 61 may include wafers 64, 65, antireflected on one side, that is, deflecting about 4% of the laser radiation, and fully reflecting mirrors 66, 67, providing an increase in optical communication between two lasers 52, 53 .

In industrial production using laser radiation, either two separate laser beams 68, 69 or one beam 70 can be used. In the latter case, the combination of two laser beams 68, 69 is carried out outside the chassis 51 of the laser system in the optical module 71.

In these embodiments of the invention, a method for generating laser radiation by means of a laser system (Figs. 9, 10, 11) is carried out as follows. Due to the delay line 60 between the power source 54 and the second laser 53, the discharge in the second laser 53 is ignited with a time delay not exceeding the duration of the time interval (less than tens of ns) between the moment of ignition of the discharge and the moment of reaching the generation threshold in the first laser 52. Using optical communication systems 61, including, for example, one-sided plates 64, 65 and fully reflecting mirrors 66, 67 (FIG. 11), inject an external optical signal into the second laser 53. The external optical signal is a small part of the laser radiation coming out of the resonator formed by the mirrors 62, 63 of the first laser 52. By injecting an external optical signal, the generation threshold in the second laser 53 is reduced. An optical communication system 61 at the final stage of the discharge in the first laser 52 is provided injection of an external optical signal from the second laser 53 into it. If necessary, the combination of two parallel laser beams 68, 69 into one laser beam 70 is carried out in the optical module 71. After each laser gas circulation system will replace the gas between the electrodes 2 and 3, the laser system working cycle is repeated.

Upon receipt of laser generation by the proposed method, the generation threshold in the second laser is reduced due to the injection of an external optical signal immediately after ignition of the discharge in it. This can increase the efficiency of the second laser by ~ 30%. On the other hand, injection of an external optical signal from the second laser into the first laser module increases a portion of the generation energy of the first laser module at the final stage of the discharge.

Thus, when performed in the indicated form, the laser system and the method of generating laser radiation can improve the efficiency of the laser system as a whole.

When carried out in accordance with the present invention, a gas discharge, in particular an excimer laser or a molecular fluorine laser, as well as laser systems, acquire significant new positive qualities.

The use of high-voltage current leads 21 equipped with ceramic insulators 22, grounded current leads 23 and current leads 12, 13 of each ceramic container 10 provides a low-inductance connection of the switching power supply 15 to capacitors 11 located in ceramic containers 10 (Figs. 1-10). Due to this, an increase in the rate of rise of the electric field and an increase in the electric field in the region of discharge 4 at the stage of breakdown are achieved. This improves the uniformity of the volumetric discharge of the laser and increases the stability of the uniform shape of the discharge to acoustic disturbances arising in the laser chamber at a high pulse repetition rate. As a result, an increase in the laser efficiency is achieved and a minimum coefficient K of gas change in the discharge volume at a high pulse repetition rate, sufficient to maintain the maximum laser efficiency, is reduced. As a result, the average radiation power increases at high laser efficiency and operating costs are reduced.

The tight fastening of each ceramic container 10 at the ends 30 of the laser chamber 1 with the possibility of access or tight connection to the inner part of the container 10 allows the flow of an electrically strong medium, such as air, through the capacitors 11 and auxiliary capacitors 26 to be cooled, to cool them, to eliminate the resulting in containers 10 ozone or prevent the possibility of its formation (Figure 2). All this provides highly efficient reliable and stable operation of the laser of the proposed design in the long-term mode.

The placement of auxiliary capacitors 26 in at least one ceramic container, one of the plates of which is connected to the preionization unit through auxiliary sealed current leads of the container with a capacitance many times smaller than the capacitors 11, simplifies the design and operation of the laser by implementing automatic preionization (Figure 1 -10). The small capacity of the auxiliary capacitors 26, sufficient for highly efficient highly stable laser operation, provides a long lifetime for the preionization unit, the gas mixture, and the laser as a whole.

Variants of the invention (Figs. 1-3, 6-10), in which parts 24, 25 of the surface of each ceramic container 10, facing the discharge region 4, are flush with the first electrode 2, forming gas guides located upstream and downstream near it flow, allow to form a high-speed gas flow in the region of discharge 4 to implement a mode of operation with a high pulse repetition rate and high laser power.

In embodiments of the invention in which at least parts 24, 25 of the extended ceramic containers 10 are located on the sides of the discharge region 4, forming upstream and downstream of the discharge region 4 gas flow guides or spoilers that significantly change the direction of the gas flow when passing discharge region 4 (Figs. 4, 5), the undesirable effect of separation of the gas stream from the second electrode 3 is eliminated. In addition, this embodiment of the invention allows, within a wider range, in comparison with known analogues, ized gas flow geometry. Moreover, due to the closest possible arrangement of the capacitors 11 to the discharge region 4, the inductance of the discharge circuit can be minimized, which ensures an increase in the laser efficiency and the possibility of a highly efficient increase in the generation energy and laser power.

The installation near the first electrode 2 of one extended ceramic container 10, the surface of which is facing the discharge region, has an extended niche 36 in which the first electrode 2 is placed flush with the parts 24, 25 of the ceramic container 10 facing the discharge region 4 (Fig.6) , allows you to optimize the shape of the ceramic container for the formation of a high-speed gas flow in the region of discharge 4, to ensure low inductance of the discharge circuit, increase the number and energy reserve of the capacitors placed in it 11 It also provides the opportunity to increase the laser efficiency, highly efficient increase of the generation energy and laser power.

The introduction of additional ceramic containers 39 or container 39 with additional capacitors 40 placed in them (Figs. 7, 8) allows significantly, approximately twice as compared with the embodiments of the device shown in Figs. 1-5, to increase the total energy stored in the capacitors, 2, 3 connected to the first and second electrodes of the laser. This significantly, approximately doubles, increases the laser generation energy. Moreover, the introduction of an additional power source 43 for charging additional capacitors 40, the polarity of which is opposite to the polarity of the power source 15, significantly reduces the potential difference between the grounded and high-voltage elements of the discharge circuit of the laser, which significantly reduces the requirements for electrical insulation, allowing to reduce the dimensions of the elements of the discharge circuit and minimize its inductance. This makes it possible to increase the length of the electrodes and increase the laser generation energy with a low inductance of the discharge circuit and high laser efficiency. In addition, due to a significant reduction in voltage, the operation of the laser is simplified and its reliability is increased.

The implementation of charging additional capacitors 40 with an additional power source 43 from the ends of each additional container 39 provides the simplicity of the design of a powerful laser. In this case, the inclusion of a power source with a time delay with respect to the moment of switching on an additional power source 43, equal to the difference between the pulse charging time of the additional capacitors 40 and the charging time of the capacitors 11, provides the maximum rate of increase of the electric field in the interelectrode gap at the prebreakdown discharge stage. The result is the formation of a uniform stable volume discharge of the laser.

Placing additional ceramic containers 39 in such a way that their surfaces 44, 45, facing the discharge region 4, form gas flow guides located upstream and downstream near the second electrode 3 (Figs. 7, 8), it is possible to efficiently form a high-speed gas flow in discharge region 4 for implementing an operating mode with a high pulse repetition rate and high laser power.

The implementation of gas-permeable reverse conductors 14 concave towards the discharge region 4 (Figs. 7, 8), which corresponds to the shape of equipotential lines of the electric field between high-voltage electrodes 2, 3 of opposite polarity, allows to reduce the inductance of the discharge circuit without distorting the configuration of the electric field in the region of discharge 4. This contributes to the achievement of high laser efficiency and provides the possibility of a highly efficient increase in the generation energy and laser power.

When placing at least one preionization unit 6 in the immediate vicinity of the second electrode 3, and installing at least one additional ceramic container 39 along its length of auxiliary sealed current leads 27 and placing auxiliary capacitors 26 in it, one of the plates which is connected to the preionization unit through auxiliary current leads 27 (Fig. 7), allows automatic preionization from the side of the second electrode, which may be optimal in some embodiments eniya.

The installation near the second electrode 3 of one additional ceramic container 39, the surface of which is facing the discharge region 4, has an extended niche in which the second electrode 2 is placed flush with the parts 44, 55 of the ceramic container 10 facing the discharge region 4 (Figure 10) , allows you to optimize the shape of the additional ceramic container for the formation of a high-speed gas flow in the region of discharge 4 and to ensure low inductance of the discharge circuit. It also provides an increase in laser efficiency and the possibility of a highly efficient increase in the generation energy and laser power.

The introduction in some embodiments of the invention of an additional gas circulation system (Fig. 8) significantly increases the gas change rate between the first and second electrodes 2, 3 and improves the cooling of the gas mixture, which allows to increase the pulse repetition rate and the average laser power.

The implementation in the embodiments of the invention of the first and second electrodes solid (Fig. 1, 2, 4, 5) and installation of at least one preionization unit on the side of either the first electrode (Fig. 4, 5) or the second electrode (Fig. 1, 2) allows to simplify and reduce the cost of the design of the electrode system of a powerful laser.

The implementation in embodiments of the invention of either the first electrode (Fig. 3, 8-10) or the second electrode (Fig. 7) partially transparent with a preionization unit mounted on the back side of the partially transparent electrode, allows for a wide-aperture uniform volume discharge with a compact low-inductance discharge system laser. Such a discharge system is characterized by a high efficiency of gas change in the region of discharge 4, i.e., by a small, ~ 1, gas change coefficient K, sufficient for efficient highly stable operation of a high-power laser.

The use in preferred embodiments of the invention of a preionization unit containing a system for generating an extended uniform sliding discharge in the form of a plasma sheet on the surface of a dielectric (sapphire) (Figs. 1-4, 6-10) allows for the realization of a uniformly high level homogeneous preionization in the region of discharge 4. This ensures high: laser efficiency, laser beam quality and stability of the high-power laser in the long-term mode.

The use in some embodiments of the invention of preionization units containing a corona discharge forming system (FIG. 5) allows in some cases not requiring high generation energy to simplify the laser discharge system.

The execution of ceramic containers 10 or additional ceramic containers 39 in the form of round cylindrical pipes (Figs. 3, 8, 10) ensures their greatest simplicity, mechanical strength and reliability.

The implementation in other embodiments of the invention of ceramic containers 10 or additional ceramic containers 39 in the form of rectangular pipes (Figs. 3, 8, 10) allows to minimize the inductance of the discharge circuit and increase the laser efficiency. In addition, flat extended parts 24, 25 of ceramic containers 10 or flat extended parts 44, 45 of additional ceramic containers 39, facing the discharge region 4, allow efficiently forming a high-speed gas flow in it. All this allows you to increase the laser power at high efficiency.

Filling, in accordance with embodiments of the invention, of at least one ceramic container 10 or an additional ceramic container 39 with either a gas or liquid electrically strong medium 37 at a pressure close to the pressure of the gas mixture in the laser chamber 1, allows optimizing from the point of view of increasing laser power the shape of the ceramic container, while ensuring its reliability by reducing mechanical stress (Fig.6, 10). The tight connection to the ends of each ceramic container 39, filled with an electrically strong medium 37, of a pressure maintenance system 38 configured to circulate and cool an electrically strong medium 37, if necessary, allows optimal conditions for the operation of capacitors 11, auxiliary capacitors 26 and / or additional capacitors 40 in a mode with a high pulse repetition rate.

The use of a laser system with two identical lasers made in accordance with various variants of the present invention (Figs. 9, 10) allows at least doubling the power of laser radiation.

Due to the use of the chassis 51, which ensures the transportability of the laser system, and a common power source 54, its operation is simpler than using separate high-power lasers. This simplifies the synchronization of the operation of two lasers 52, 53, and also simplifies the possibility of combining two laser beams into one laser beam.

When the delay line 60 is introduced into the charging circuit of the capacitors 11 of the second laser 53, as well as the optical communication system 61 between the lasers 52, 53, due to the operation of the laser system by the proposed method, the generation threshold in the second laser 53 is reduced by injecting an external optical signal immediately after ignition in it discharge (Fig.11). This can increase the generation energy in the second laser 53 by ~ 30%, providing a more than twofold increase in the radiation power of the laser system compared to the power of each of the two lasers 52, 53 and, in general, an increase in the efficiency of the laser system.

Thus, the implementation of the gas-discharge, in particular, excimer laser, laser system and methods of generating radiation in the proposed form allows for a simple and reliable design of the laser camera to significantly increase the generation energy and average laser radiation power at high efficiency of the laser or laser system, as well as reduce operational costs.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The proposed inventions make it possible to create the most high-energy, powerful and highly efficient excimer lasers and laser systems with various combinations of the radiation wavelength (from 157 to 351 nm), generation energy (from ~ 0.01 to more than 2 J / pulse) and pulse repetition rate (from ~ 300 Hz to ~ 6000 Hz) for large industrial enterprises, scientific research and other applications. These include: the production of flat LCD and OLED displays by laser annealing, surface modification and hardening, 3D microprocessing of materials, the production of high-temperature superconductors by pulsed laser ablation, environmental monitoring using powerful UV lidars, the production of integrated circuits using laser VUV lithography, etc.

List of Symbols

36. niche ceramic surface 1. laser camera container / additional 2. first electrode ceramic container 3. second electrode 37. electrically durable environment 4. discharge area 38. pressure maintenance system and 5. metal wall laser circulation of electrically strong medium the cameras 39. one or two extended 6. block preionization additional ceramic 7. dielectric plate container 8. initiating electrode system 40. additional capacitors formation of SR placed in additional 9. ignition system electrode containers formation of SR 41. high voltage sealed 10. ceramic containers / current leads of an additional container container 42. grounded sealed 11. capacitors current leads of additional 12. high voltage current leads ceramic container 13. grounded current leads 43. additional source 14. extended grounded power supply gas permeable return conductors 44, 45. parts of the surface 15. power supply additional 16. diameter fan containers / container forming 17. heat exchanger tubes gas flow up and downstream of 18, 19. spoilers second electrode 20. guide vanes 46. additional diametrical 21. sealed high voltage fan current leads of the laser camera 47. extra tubes 22. ceramic insulators heat exchanger 23. extended grounded 48, 99. additional spoilers conductors connected to a laser 50. additional guide the camera blade 24, 25. surface parts 51. chassis ceramic container 52, 53. the first and second are identical 27. auxiliary current leads lasers container / additional 54. general power source container 55, 56. high-voltage conclusions of the general 28. auxiliary conductor power source preionization unit 57, 58. saturated low inductance 29. end part of ceramic chokes container 59. general additional source 30. the ends of the laser camera power supply 31. connection device for 60. delay line airtight end connections 61. an optical communication system between ceramic container parts with lasers laser camera ends 62, 63. laser cavity mirrors 32. optical output windows 64, 65. optical plates laser radiation 66.67. mirrors to enlarge 33. slotted windows on the working optical communication between two lasers partially transparent surfaces
second electrode 68, 69. laser beams 34. dielectric tube system 70. combined laser beam corona discharge 71. optical alignment module 35. internal electrode of the system two laser beams. corona discharge

Claims (27)

1. A gas discharge, in particular an excimer laser or a molecular fluorine laser, including: a laser chamber filled with a gas mixture (1), consisting mainly of metal, extended first electrode (2) and second electrode (3), located opposite each other and defining a discharge region (4) between them, with a first electrode (2) located on the side of the metal wall (5) of the laser chamber (1); at least one extended preionization unit (6); located near the first electrode (2) either one extended ceramic container (10) or two extended ceramic containers (10), having the form of either a round or rectangular pipe, a set of capacitors (11) placed in each of the ceramic containers (10), moreover, capacitors (11) are connected to the first and second electrodes (2, 3) through high-voltage and grounded current leads (12, 13) of each ceramic container (10) and through gas-permeable return current conductors (14) located on both sides of the first and second electrodes ( 12, 13); a power source (15) connected to capacitors (11); a gas circulation system (16-20) and a resonator, while on the side of the first electrode (2) in the metal wall (5) of the laser chamber (1) sealed high-voltage current leads (21) are installed along it, each of which is equipped with a ceramic insulator (22) , inside the laser chamber (1), on either side of either ceramic containers (10) or ceramic container (10), there are extended grounded conductors (23) connected to the metal wall (5) of the laser chamber (1), the power source (15) is low inductance connected to capacitors (11) through the mentioned high voltage current leads (21) and grounded current leads (22), as well as through high voltage and grounded current leads (12, 13) of each ceramic container (10), and the end parts (29) of each ceramic container (10) are hermetically fixed to the ends (30) laser camera (1) with the possibility of access or tight connection to the inside of the container (10). 2. The laser according to claim 1, in which at least one ceramic container (10) contains auxiliary capacitors (26), the capacitance of which is many times smaller than the capacitance of capacitors (11), auxiliary sealed current leads are installed along the length of the container (10) ( 27) through which one of the plates of the auxiliary capacitors (26) is connected to the preionization unit (6). 3. The laser according to claim 1, in which parts (24, 25) of the surface of each ceramic container (10), facing the discharge region, are flush with the first electrode (2), forming close to the first electrode (2) located up and down gas flow guides. 4. The laser according to claim 1, in which at least part (24, 25) of each extended ceramic container (10) is placed on the side of the discharge region (4), forming upstream and / or downstream of the discharge region ( 4) gas flow guides or spoilers, significantly changing the direction of the gas flow when passing through the discharge region (4). 5. The laser according to claim 1, in which one extended ceramic container (10) is installed near the first electrode (2), the surface of which, facing the discharge region, has an extended niche (36) in which the first electrode (2) is placed. 6. The laser according to claim 1, in the chamber of which either one or two additional extended ceramic containers (39) are placed, each additional ceramic container (39) is located near the second electrode (2),
each additional ceramic container (39) contains additional capacitors (40),
in the walls of each additional ceramic container (39), sealed high-voltage current leads (41) and grounded current leads (42) are installed along it
the capacitors are connected to the second electrode (3) through gas-permeable return current leads (14), high voltage current leads (41) and grounded current leads (42) of each additional container (39) and additional capacitors (40),
outside the laser chamber (1) is placed connected to additional capacitors (40) an additional power source (43), the polarity of which is opposite to the polarity of the power source (15). 7. The laser according to claim 7, in which the end parts of each additional ceramic container (39) are hermetically attached to the ends (30) of the laser chamber (1) with the possibility of access or tight connection to the inner part of the additional container (39). 8. The laser according to claim 7, in which an additional power source (43) is connected to additional capacitors (40) from the ends of each additional ceramic container (39). 9. The laser according to claim 6, in which the time delay between switching on the additional power source (43) and the power source (15) is equal to the difference between the pulse time of charging additional capacitors (40) and the charging time of the capacitors (11). 10. The laser according to claim 6, in which parts (44, 45) of the surface of each additional ceramic container (39), facing the discharge region (4), form gas flow guides located upstream and downstream near the second electrode (3). 11. The laser according to claim 6, in which the gas-permeable return conductors (14) are made concave towards the discharge region (4). 12. The laser according to claim 6, in which at least one preionization unit (6) is located in the immediate vicinity of the second electrode (2), and in at least one additional ceramic container (39), along its length auxiliary sealed current leads (27) were installed and auxiliary capacitors (26) were placed, one of the plates of which is connected to the preionization unit (6) through auxiliary current leads (27). 13. The laser according to claim 6, in which one additional ceramic container (39) is installed near the second electrode (3), whose surface facing the discharge region has an extended niche (36) in which the second electrode (3) is placed. 14. The laser according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the laser chamber (1) of which is equipped with an additional gas circulation system (46-50). 15. The laser according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the first electrode (2) and the second electrode (3) are solid, and at least one preionization unit (6) is installed on the side of either the first electrode (2) or second electrode (3). 16. The laser according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which either the first electrode (2) or the second electrode (3) is partially transparent, and the preionization unit (6) is mounted on the back side of the partially transparent electrode. 17. The laser according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the preionization unit (6) comprises a system (7, 8, 9) for forming an extended uniform sliding discharge over the surface of the dielectric. 18. A laser according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the preionization unit (6) comprises a corona discharge forming system (34, 35). 19. The laser according to claim 7, in which at least one additional ceramic container (39) has the shape of either a round or rectangular pipe. 20. A laser according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which at least one ceramic container (10) or an additional ceramic container (39) is filled with either a gas or liquid electrically strong medium (37) under a pressure close to the pressure gas in the laser chamber, and to the ends of each ceramic container (10, 39) filled with an electrically strong medium (37), a system (38) for maintaining the pressure of an electrically strong medium (37) close to the pressure of the gas mixture in the laser chamber (1) is hermetically connected ), and the system (38) for maintaining pressure possibility of circulation and cooling a solid electrically medium (37). 21. The method of generating laser radiation by means of a laser according to any one of claims 6 to 13, which comprises performing pulse charging of capacitors (11) located in each ceramic container (10) using a power source (15) and preionizing the gas mixture between the first and the second electrodes (2, 3), the discharge between the first and second electrodes (2, 3) and the generation of a laser beam, which previously include an additional power source (43), and from the ends of each additional ceramic container (39) produce pulse a row of additional capacitors (40), then with a time delay equal to the difference in the charging times of the additional capacitors (40) and capacitors (11), turn on the power source (15) and perform fast pulse charging of the capacitors (11) with a voltage whose polarity is opposite to the polarity of the charging voltage additional capacitors (40), after the moment of simultaneous termination of charging of capacitors (11) and additional capacitors (40), discharge between the high-voltage first and second electrodes (2, 3) counter ozhnoy polarity low-inductance discharge circuit including a capacitor (11) and additional capacitors (40) serially connected between a gas-permeable through electrical conductors (14), concave toward the discharge region (4). 22. The method of generating laser radiation according to item 21, wherein with the time delay with respect to the moment the additional power source (43) is turned on, equal to the difference in the charging times of the additional capacitors (40) and capacitors (11), preionization is performed from the side of the first electrode ( 2). 23. The method of generating laser radiation by means of a laser according to claim 20, including preionizing the gas mixture between the first and second electrodes (2, 3), performing a discharge between the first and second electrodes (2, 3), and generating a laser beam, in which during operation lasers maintain the pressure of an electrically strong medium (37) filling at least one ceramic container (10) or an additional ceramic container (39) close to the pressure of the gas mixture in the laser chamber (1). 24. A laser system containing a chassis (51) on which a first laser (52) is arranged, made according to any one of claims 1 to 21, a second laser (53) identical to the first laser (52), while the power sources of the first and second lasers are combined in a common power source (54) of the laser system. 25. The laser system according to paragraph 24, in which the first laser (52), made according to any one of claims 7 to 21, has an additional power source, the second laser (53) is identical to the first laser (52), while the power sources of the first and the second lasers are combined in a common power source (54), and additional power sources of the first and second lasers (52, 53) are combined in a common additional power source (59) of the laser system. 26. The laser system according to any one of paragraphs.24, 25, in which a delay line (60) is introduced between the capacitors (11) of the second laser (53) and the common power source (54), which ensures a delay in ignition of the discharge in the second laser (53) on time not exceeding the length of the time interval between the moment of ignition of the discharge and the moment of reaching the generation threshold in the first laser (52), and on the chassis (51) there is an optical communication system (61) between two lasers (52, 53), which provides injection into the second laser (53) an external optical signal, which is a small part of the radiation of the first laser (52). 27. A method of generating laser radiation by means of a laser system according to claim 26, comprising: in the first and second lasers (52, 53) preionizing the gas mixture, performing a discharge between the first and second electrodes (2, 3), and generating a laser beam, in which after ignition of the discharge in the first laser (52), ignite the discharge in the second laser (53) with a time delay not exceeding the length of the time interval between the moment of ignition of the discharge and the moment of reaching the generation threshold in the first laser (52), and using an optical communication system Communications (61) inject an external optical signal into the second laser (53), which is a small part of the radiation from the first laser (52), lowering the lasing threshold in the second laser (53).

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