Abstract

Recent development of high-pressure electric discharge technology^1,2 for the F₂ laser has produced a 10-fold increase in output energy to >100 mJ. Such energy at a vacuum ultraviolet wavelength of 157 nm is desirable for photolithographic and photochemical applications. This paper summarizes the further optimization of this technology and the performance of a low inductance discharge laser that produces 12 ns pulses, a peak power of 8.3 MW and an extraction energy density of 4.1 J/L.

© 1992 Optical Society of America