JPS6184079A - Gas laser discharge device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

"Industrial Application Field" The present invention relates to an improvement in a discharge device applied to a laser oscillation type gas laser such as an excimer laser or a TEA-Co□ laser. "Prior art" A discharge device for a /4 las oscillation type gas laser such as an excimerade applies the discharge energy of a capacitor between discharge electrodes to generate a discharge between the discharge electrodes, and this discharge excites the laser medium gas. Eggplant. FIG. 7 illustrates a conventional gas laser discharge device in which a coaxial capacitor 1 is used as the capacitor. This discharge device consists of a pair of discharge ″fM, %i poles 2.3
The above-mentioned coaxial capacitor l is positioned above, and the center electrode 4 of the capacitor 1 is connected to the upper discharge electrode 2, and external electrode terminals 5 are provided protruding from both sides of the capacitor.
to the lower electrode 3 via the electrical path 6 and the conductive grate 7.
It has a structure in which a gap 8 for preliminary ionization is formed in the middle of the electric path 6 located on the side between the discharge chambers formed by 2 and 3 to the mold. Note that a plurality of coaxial capacitors 1, for example 13 to 8 pieces, are usually arranged along the longitudinal direction of the electrodes 2 and 3. When charging starts, the gap 8 of the above-mentioned X path 6
A small discharge called preparatory mi is performed. When the charging of the congan f1 is completed, the discharge energy causes main discharge between the electrodes 2 and 3, thereby exciting the Radhe medium gas. The above-mentioned preliminary 'RL release' is the action of generating electrons in the main emission IL region in advance by the ultraviolet light generated by the above-mentioned small discharge, and after this preliminary period, the main discharge in the glow state starts smoothly. It has the effect of causing Note 1. The current path through which the discharge current flows during the main discharge is hereinafter referred to as the main circuit loop. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional discharge device described above has parallel plate capacitors located on both sides of the discharge electrode 2.3, and the discharge energy of this capacitor is applied to the N poles 2 and 3. The inductance of the main circuit loop can be reduced compared to the discharge device of this type. However, even in this conventional device, the influence of the inductance on the oscillation output is large, and for this reason, there are few radiation devices that can further reduce the inductance. The present invention aims to provide a gas laser discharge device that can meet these demands. "Means for Solving Problems" In the present invention, 1!1! A coaxial capacitor equipped with three or more external electrode terminals protruding in different directions is used as a capacitor that provides discharge energy to the poles, and each of the discharge electrodes is positioned on the center 1j of the coaxial capacitor and on the other axis. At the same time, one discharge 1 located on the center electrode side
! Healing and the center electrode? ! Read each of the above external electrode terminals and discharge each of the above 1! The electrodes are connected to the other discharge electrode via separate electrical paths running along the sides of the electrodes. "Operation" According to the present invention, more main circuit loops are formed than in the conventional device, and these loops are connected in parallel. +: rI-
Therefore, the inductance of the main circuit loop can be reduced overall. "Disaster Management" Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a gas laser discharge device according to the present invention. The discharge device according to this embodiment is as follows. A plurality of blocks of capacitor blocks 11 each consisting of two coaxial capacitors 10 stacked coaxially are provided, and these capacitor blocks 11 are arranged at equal intervals above the electrodes 12 and 13. As shown in FIG.
are connected to each other, and the lower end of the center electrode 14 of the lower capacitor 10 is screwed to the upper pole 12 of the upper discharge WL. In addition, each capacitor configuring the block 11]O
As shown in FIG. 3, the external electrode terminals 150, which are provided with traps on both sides, are shifted by 90° from each other. The external electrode terminals 15 of each sensor 10 are exposed at the bottom in the center! ! The electrode 13 is connected at the hooked end of the conductive grate 16 via a path 17. As is clear from the manner in which the capacitors 10 are connected, the capacitor 11 substantially functions as one coaxial capacitor. The above-mentioned tC path 17 has a conductive opening, an open door υ, and a pre-ionization gap 19 formed at a portion located on the side of the discharge space 18 of the 1rL pole 12.13 as shown in the second factor. There is. The rod constituting this electric circuit 17 is called a return rod because it serves as a return path for the discharge flow. In this embodiment, when a high voltage is applied within the center electrode 14 and plate 16 of the coaxial capacitor 10, the individual coaxial capacitors 10 begin to charge, and during charging, each In the gap 19 of 7, a small discharge called pre-ionization takes place. This discharge excites the Rede medium gas to generate ultraviolet light, and this ultraviolet light generates electrons in the main discharge region (the discharge space 18). However, as the capacitor 10 is charged more than once, the voltage between the electrodes 12 and 13 is released! When the temperature rises to the possible fx value, a main discharge is started between the electrodes 12 and 13, which excites the Radhe medium gas present in the main discharge area and causes Radhe oscillation. The number 17 is the conventional g shown in Figure 7.
Since the number of 14 paths 6 in b is twice as large, the number of loose main circuits is also twice as large. Individual main circuit loops are electrically

[Parallel edge a
Therefore, this increase in the number of main circuit loops means that the total main circuit loop inductance is reduced. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the oscillation efficiency can be increased more than the conventional device. FIG. 4 shows another implementation 511 of the invention. In this implementation 51], four protruding 4
Coaxial capacitor 10 with external electrode terminals 150
A plurality of zeros are arranged along the length of the electrodes 1 and 2. The coaxial capacitor 100 has its center electrode 140 connected to the electrode 12 as in the previous embodiment, and each external electrode terminal 150 is connected to the electrode 13 via the electric path 17 consisting of the return rod. In this embodiment, the same number of main circuit loops are formed as in the previous embodiment. Therefore, the total inductance of the main circuit loop is reduced compared to the conventional device. In addition, in the above-mentioned case, it is also possible to use a coaxial type capacitor equipped with three external electrode terminals 150 or more than 4 g, and FIG. 5 shows a coaxial type capacitor equipped with six external electrode terminals 50. 3 shows an application of the capacitor 100'. Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two or more coaxial capacitors 10 are arranged in multiple stages to form a capacitor block 11.
In that case, the external electrode terminals 15 of the capacitors 10 arranged in multiple stages are naturally directed in different directions. By the way, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a gap 19 is formed in the middle of the electric circuit 17.
dL separation is carried out, but an example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. It is also possible to separately provide a radiation IE and an electrode 2o exclusively for preliminary ionization without forming the electrode=9. In addition, since the discharge device according to the present invention has more electric circuits 17 than the conventional device, as shown in the implementation column, the above-mentioned 1-path 1
When a gap 7'19 is formed in 7, the number of gaps 19 increases compared to the conventional device. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the effect that pre-ionization is performed more uniformly. [Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, more main circuit looses are formed than in the conventional device, so the total inductance of the main circuit loop can be reduced and the efficiency of laser oscillation can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view conceptually showing an embodiment of a gas laser discharge device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a mode of multistage arrangement of coaxial capacitors in the embodiment of FIG. 1, 3 is a plan view showing the protruding position of the external electrode terminal in the implementation row of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a perspective view conceptually showing another implementation of the present invention, and FIG. 10. A plan view showing a state in which the external electrode terminals are worked in the embodiment of 10.
100.100'...Coaxial capacitor, 11...
Capacitor block, 12.13...discharge electrode, 14
゜140...Center electrode, 15.150...External tL
Pole terminal, 17... Electric circuit, 19... Gap, 20.
...Discharge electrode for pre-ionization. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 16 1゜ Figure 5 J2 Figure 6 Wharf

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a gas laser discharge device that performs discharge by applying the discharge energy of a capacitor to a pair of discharge electrodes, a coaxial capacitor equipped with three or more external electrode terminals protruding in different directions is used as the capacitor, and the above-mentioned Each discharge electrode is located on the axis of the center electrode of the coaxial capacitor, one discharge electrode located on the center electrode side is connected to the center electrode, and each of the external electrode terminals is connected to the center electrode of the coaxial capacitor. A gas laser discharge device that is connected to the other discharge electrode via separate electrical paths passing through the sides. (2) The above coaxial capacitor is a combination of two or more coaxial capacitors each having two or more external electrode ends protruding in different directions, and the center electrodes of these capacitors are commonly connected. 2. A gas laser discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the gas laser discharge device is stacked in multiple stages with the external electrode terminals having different positions. (3) The gas laser discharge device according to claim (1) or (2), wherein each of the electrical circuits is provided with a gap for preliminary ionization in the middle.