Title :
High-power operation of an argon excimer laser with a MgF2 and SiC cavity
Author :
Kurosawa, Kou ; Takigawa, Yasuo ; Sasaki, Wataru ; Okuda, Masahiro ; Fujiwara, Etsuo ; Yoshida, Kunio ; Kato, Yoshiaki
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electron., Univ. of Osaka Prefecture, Sakai, Japan
fDate :
1/1/1991 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
An intense coherent light pulse whose energy, height and width (FWHM) were 80 mJ, 16 MW, and 5 ns, respectively, was obtained as 126 nm from an argon excimer laser. A superpoished SiC mirror was used in combination with a MgF2 output coupler for an electron-beam-pumped argon excimer laser. The SiC mirror had a reflectivity at 126 nm as high as 47% and was highly damage resistant. Laser mirror materials for high-power short-wavelength lasers are discussed. Surface damage on the MgF2 output mirror could not be avoided; this prevented stable operation of the argon excimer laser. In order to obtain such high power from the argon excimer laser, it is necessary to construct the resonator without a MgF2 coupler. An unstable resonator is considered as the best candidate for the stable operation of the argon excimer laser
Keywords :
argon; electron beam applications; excimers; laser accessories; laser cavity resonators; magnesium compounds; mirrors; optical couplers; silicon compounds; 126 nm; 16 MW; 5 ns; 80 mJ; Ar excimer laser; MgF2 output coupler; damage resistant; electron-beam-pumped; high-power short-wavelength lasers; intense coherent light pulse; laser mirror materials; laser resonators; reflectivity; stable operation; superpoished SiC mirror; surface damage; unstable resonator; Argon; Laser stability; Mirrors; Optical coupling; Optical materials; Optical pulses; Reflectivity; Silicon carbide; Space vector pulse width modulation; Surface emitting lasers;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
