<title>Kilowatt-range high-repetition-rate excimer lasers</title>

Abstract

High-power operation of excimer lasers was investigated using UV-preionization schemes based on a dielectric surface creeping discharge. The design and operation of the high average power excimer laser systems are described. A large-aperture (10 X 7 cm2) XeCl laser with UV preionization can produce 10 J per pulse at a repetition rate of up to 100 Hz. When the aperture was decreased, the XeCl laser operated at repetition rates of up to 500 Hz and could produce average output power of more than 600 W.