High power excimer laser image relay system analysis using Delano diagram

Abstract

The characteristics of Delano diagram are especially helpful in instrumental systems type with considerably separated components. For high power excimer laser system, especially for image relay scheme, the Delano diagram method is highly advantageous for the system’s thin lens layout design. A primitive experimental image relay and it’s combination optical layout is investigated in our high power XeCl laser system, with intensity smoothed spatial incoherent source. Instead of the uniform intensity distribution on the target as expected, it is obvious shows in the final image on the target that a gauss like intensity profile and a large amount of astigmatism results. There are two possible reasons: the first one is that not keeping proper relay of pupil plane (or Fourier plane) in the final stage, simply care the collimated beam of virtual object in the final focusing stage. With the help of Delano diagram, it’s clearly shown in the diagram that the Fourier plane and the image plane come very close, indicates that a complete image relay of the object plane and Fourier plane is needed. The second reason is due to the off-axis setup in the large aperture main amplifier, which introduce significant astigmatism aberrations in the final optical path. This question can be solved using proper tilt and de-center of reflective mirror pair setup, and two possible such combination pairs are proposed.