A high-power long pulse excimer laser

Abstract
Excimer lasers operating at high average powers are becoming important for materials-processing applications. A long-pulse excimer laser with automatic spark preionization which provides a pulse energy of 1 J with an optical pulse length of 200 ns full-width half-maximum for XeCl is described. Successful scaling of the repetition rate to 220 p.p.s. is discussed along with requirements for gas flow.