Automatic gas filling control method and device of gas laser

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic gas filling control method and device for a gas laser, and the method comprises the steps: starting an energy calibration process after laser output, and guaranteeing that a real-time energy value meets a preset requirement. During energy calibration, if the real-time energy value is smaller than the preset energy value, whether the voltage value reaches the maximum value or not is judged, if not, the voltage value is increased, and if yes, it is prompted that the working air pressure is insufficient, and the gas filling process is started. And after entering the gas filling process, judging whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser is smaller than the maximum atmospheric pressure, and if so, opening a main valve to carry out circulating gas filling. Energy calibration is conducted after each time of gas filling, whether the real-time energy value is smaller than a preset energy value or not is judged, if yes, whether the energy difference value between the real-time energy value and the energy difference value before gas filling is within a preset range or not is judged, and if not, circulating gas filling continues to be conducted. According to the invention, through real-time monitoring and comparison of energy values of the laser before and after gas filling, precise and automatic control of the gas filling process is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of gas lasers, and in particular to an automatic gas filling control method and device for a gas laser. Background Art

[0002] Excimer lasers use mixed gases as working media to generate lasers. Their main structures include mixed gases in the discharge cavity, laser cavities, and excitation sources. In actual application scenarios, in order to generate inert gas halides such as ArF, KrF, XeF, and XeCl, which have extremely short lifetimes and unstable ground states, it is necessary to discharge and excite the mixed gases with the help of high-voltage short pulses. However, this working mode inevitably causes chronic loss of halogen gas, which seriously affects the energy output performance of the laser, so frequent and regular replenishment of gas for the laser becomes a key link in maintaining its stable operation. In actual operation, the original gas is often completely discharged, and the inert gas is repeatedly used to clean the cavity, and then all new gases are re-proportioned, resulting in great waste and unnecessary pollution.

[0003] At present, the gas replenishment of excimer lasers mainly relies on manual operation, and the capacity of the gas to be replenished is extremely small, often in the range of several to tens of millibars, which leads to many disadvantages. First of all, manual refueling consumes a lot of manpower, and the accuracy is difficult to guarantee. Affected by subjective factors and experience differences, the amount and time of refueling are prone to deviations. Insufficient refueling will prevent the laser from reaching the optimal operating state, resulting in unstable laser energy output; excessive refueling will waste gas resources, change the internal pressure environment of the laser, and cause abnormal output energy, which will also have an adverse effect on its performance. Secondly, the frequency of manual refueling is difficult to control scientifically. Too long refueling intervals will accelerate equipment aging and shorten service life. Too frequent refueling will increase labor costs, and may also introduce impurities or reduce sealing performance due to frequent opening of the equipment. Finally, the manual operation lacks systematic and real-time monitoring and evaluation of the energy state of the laser before and after refueling. It is impossible to compare the energy values ​​before and after refueling in real time, and it is difficult to find problems in time and take effective adjustment measures.

[0004] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes an automatic gas filling control method for a gas laser, so as to realize accurate automatic control of the gas filling process by real-time monitoring and comparing the energy value of the laser before and after gas filling. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a method and device for automatically controlling gas filling of a gas laser.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for automatically controlling gas filling of a gas laser is provided, and the method process comprises: Turn on the laser power supply and start the circuit self-test; the circuit self-test is used to ensure that the input voltage and discharge circuit meet the preset requirements; After the circuit self-checks normally, it outputs laser and starts energy calibration to ensure that the real-time energy value of the output laser meets the preset requirements; During the energy calibration operation, if the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value has reached the maximum value. If not, the voltage value is increased. If yes, it is indicated that the working gas pressure is insufficient, and the automatic gas filling device is started to enter the gas filling process; After entering the gas filling process, determine whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser is less than the maximum gas pressure. If it is less than the maximum gas pressure, open the main valve for cyclic gas filling. After each gas filling, perform energy calibration and determine whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before refueling is within the preset range. If it is within the preset range, a prompt is given to request manual maintenance. If it is not within the preset range, the cyclic refueling continues.

[0007] In an optional manner, the method further includes: When the energy calibration is running, if the real-time energy value is greater than or equal to the preset energy value, the device is judged to be operating normally.

[0008] In an optional manner, the method further includes: After starting the gas filling process, if the real-time gas pressure of the laser cavity is greater than or equal to the maximum gas pressure, energy calibration is performed.

[0009] After energy calibration, it is determined whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value has reached the maximum value; otherwise, it is determined that the device is working normally.

[0010] If the voltage value has reached the maximum value, a prompt will be given to request manual maintenance, otherwise the voltage value will be increased and the real-time energy will be tested.

[0011] In an optional manner, the method further includes: The automatic gas filling device comprises a laser cavity, a main valve, a gas filling cavity, a solenoid valve and a pressure sensor; wherein, when the solenoid valve is closed and the main valve is opened, the laser cavity pressure value is obtained; when the solenoid valve is opened and the main valve is closed, the gas filling cavity pressure value is obtained.

[0012] In an optional manner, the method further includes: The voltage, working time, output real-time energy value, laser cavity gas pressure and temperature, and corresponding gas replenishment data of the laser during operation are used to train a gas replenishment prediction model; wherein the gas replenishment prediction model includes a TPE sub-model and a GBDT sub-model; The current voltage, working time, output energy value, laser cavity gas pressure and temperature are input into the gas replenishment amount prediction model to predict the required gas replenishment amount; according to the predicted gas replenishment amount, the automatic gas filling device is controlled to replenish the gas.

[0013] In an optional manner, the method further includes: The laser consumes gas during use and needs to be automatically inflated. The required gas replenishment amount can be calculated based on the volume of the laser cavity, the current gas pressure, the target gas pressure and the gas temperature; the automatic gas filling device is controlled to replenish gas based on the calculated gas replenishment amount. The current gas pressure and gas temperature are updated after each gas replenishment.

[0014] The calculation formula of the gas replenishment amount is: ; Where Q is the required gas replenishment volume in mbar; V is the volume of the laser cavity in m³; is the target air pressure, in mbar; is the current gas pressure, in mbar; R is the gas constant, in J / (mbar·K); T is the gas temperature, in K; α is the diffusion coefficient adjustment factor, dimensionless; D is the diffusion coefficient of the gas, in m² / s; β is the friction coefficient adjustment factor, dimensionless; μ is the friction coefficient of the gas, in mbar·s; γ is the thermal conductivity adjustment factor, dimensionless; k is the thermal conductivity of the gas, in W / (m·K); L is the characteristic length of the laser cavity, in m; η is the pressure change rate adjustment factor, dimensionless; is the pressure change rate, in mbar / s; ζ is the temperature change rate adjustment factor, dimensionless; is the rate of temperature change, dimensionless; is the leakage area adjustment factor, dimensionless.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic gas filling control device for a gas laser, comprising: The laser equipment startup module is used to connect the laser power supply and start the circuit self-test. The circuit self-test is used to ensure that the input voltage and discharge circuit meet the preset requirements.

[0016] The main controller module is used to start the energy calibration process and compare the real-time energy value with the preset energy value. If the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value has reached the maximum value. If it has not reached the maximum value, the voltage value is increased. If it has reached the maximum value, it indicates that the working gas pressure is insufficient and enters the gas filling process.

[0017] The gas filling control module, after starting the gas filling process, determines whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser is less than the maximum gas pressure. If it is less than the maximum gas pressure, the main valve is opened for cyclic gas filling. Among them, energy calibration is performed after each gas filling to determine whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before gas filling is within the preset range. If it is within the preset range, it prompts to request maintenance. If it is not within the preset range, the cyclic gas filling continues.

[0018] The voltage control module is used to adjust the voltage value of the gas laser excitation source.

[0019] The energy calibration module is used to obtain the real-time energy value of the output laser, determine the difference between the real-time energy value and the rated value, and provide it to the main controller module for energy calibration.

[0020] According to the solution provided by the present invention, the laser power supply is turned on and the circuit self-check is started. The circuit self-check is used to ensure that the input voltage and the discharge circuit meet the preset requirements. After the circuit self-check is normal, the laser output is started and the energy calibration is started. The energy calibration is used to obtain the real-time energy value; the real-time energy value is compared with the preset energy value. If the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value reaches the maximum value. If not, the voltage value is increased. If so, it is prompted that the working gas pressure is insufficient, and the gas filling process is entered through the automatic gas filling device. After entering the gas filling process, it is determined whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser is less than the maximum gas pressure. If it is less than the maximum gas pressure, the main valve is opened for cyclic gas filling, wherein, after each gas filling, energy calibration is performed and it is determined whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the energy difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before gas filling is within the preset range. If it is within the preset range, it is prompted to request manual maintenance. If it is not within the preset range, the cyclic gas filling continues. The present invention realizes precise and automated control of the gas filling process by real-time monitoring and comparison of the energy values ​​of the laser before and after gas filling, which not only enables the energy of the excimer laser to be output stably for a long time, ensuring its stability and reliability in various applications, but also significantly reduces manual maintenance and management costs, thereby improving overall operational efficiency.

[0021] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present invention, it can be implemented according to the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present invention are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting the present invention. Moreover, the same reference symbols are used throughout the accompanying drawings to represent the same components. In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 A schematic flow chart showing an automatic gas filling control method for a gas laser according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 The structure of the gas filling device according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 1 ; Figure 3 The structure of the gas filling device according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 2 ; Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the working process of the main controller module according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the framework of an automatic gas filling control device for a gas laser according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided in order to enable a more thorough understanding of the present invention and to enable the scope of the present invention to be fully communicated to those skilled in the art.

[0024] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing an automatic gas filling control method for a gas laser according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, Figure 1 As shown, the following steps are included: Step S101, turning on the laser power supply and starting the circuit self-test, wherein the circuit self-test is used to ensure that the input voltage and the discharge circuit meet the preset requirements.

[0025] In this embodiment, the input voltage anomaly or the discharge circuit fault is discovered in time through circuit self-checking. Only when the preset requirements are met can the laser be safely started and stably operated, thus avoiding laser damage or safety accidents caused by power problems.

[0026] Energy calibration provides the laser light energy stimulated after the laser is started, which serves as the basis for subsequent automatic gas filling judgment to ensure that the laser reaches the expected performance level.

[0027] Step S102, energy calibration calibrates the output laser energy with the real-time energy value of the laser light. Energy calibration is to compare the real-time energy value with the preset energy value. If the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value reaches the maximum value. If not, the voltage value is increased. If yes, it indicates that the working gas pressure is insufficient, and the automatic gas filling device is started to enter the gas filling process.

[0028] In this embodiment, the real-time energy value is used as a reference for subsequent automatic gas filling judgment.

[0029] In this embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, by comparing the real-time energy with the preset value, it is determined whether the laser performance meets the standard. If the real-time energy value is greater than or equal to the preset energy value, the device is judged to be working normally. If the energy is insufficient, the voltage is first increased to increase the laser output without changing the gas pressure in the laser cavity. The gas filling process is only started when the voltage reaches the maximum value and the real-time energy value of the laser light is still insufficient, avoiding unnecessary gas consumption and reducing operating costs. By automatically starting the gas filling process, manual intervention is reduced and operating efficiency is improved.

[0030] In this embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, if the real-time energy value is greater than or equal to the preset energy value, there is no need to adjust the voltage or add gas, etc., and it can be confirmed that the equipment is in normal working condition, which reduces equipment loss and prolongs its service life.

[0031] The automatic gas filling device comprises a laser cavity, a main valve, a gas filling cavity, a solenoid valve and a pressure sensor; When the electromagnetic valve is closed and the main valve is opened, the pressure value of the laser cavity is obtained; when the electromagnetic valve is opened and the main valve is closed, the pressure value of the gas filling cavity is obtained.

[0032] In this embodiment, Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, by independently controlling the solenoid valve and the main valve, the flow direction and flow rate of the gas can be precisely controlled. Figure 2 , Figure 3 The gas medium shown in the figure is in the laser cavity, and the main valve controls the laser cavity and the external gas system (such as Figure 2 , Figure 3The main valve is used to monitor the connection status of the gas-filling chamber (shown in the figure). When the main valve is opened, the laser cavity is connected to the external gas system, and the gas can enter or exit the laser cavity. When the main valve is closed, the laser cavity is isolated from the external gas system, and the gas cannot enter or exit the laser cavity. The gas-filling chamber is used to store the gas to be added to the laser cavity, and the gas pressure in the gas-filling chamber is monitored in real time by the pressure sensor. The solenoid valve controls the connection status between the gas-filling chamber and the laser cavity. When the gas pressure in the gas-filling chamber is greater than the gas pressure in the laser cavity, the solenoid valve is opened, the gas-filling chamber is connected to the laser cavity, and the gas enters the laser cavity from the gas-filling chamber. When the solenoid valve is closed, the gas-filling chamber is isolated from the laser cavity, and the gas cannot enter the laser cavity. The pressure sensor is used to monitor the gas pressure values ​​of the laser cavity and the gas-filling chamber in real time. The output signal of the pressure sensor is connected to the main controller, and the main controller performs gas filling control according to the data of the pressure sensor.

[0033] Specifically, the electromagnetic valve is closed, the main valve is opened, the pressure sensor is used to measure the air pressure value in the laser cavity, and the measured air pressure value is transmitted to the main controller. The main valve is closed, the electromagnetic valve is opened, and the pressure sensor is used to measure the air pressure value in the gas filling cavity. The measured air pressure value is transmitted to the main controller, and the switch state of the electromagnetic valve and the main valve is controlled to perform the gas filling operation according to the pressure difference between the laser cavity and the gas filling cavity.

[0034] For example, if the laser cavity pressure value is lower than the preset value, the solenoid valve and the main valve are opened to add the gas in the gas filling cavity into the laser cavity. If the gas filling cavity pressure value is lower than the preset value, the solenoid valve and the main valve are closed, the gas filling operation is stopped, and the user is prompted to add gas.

[0035] During the gas filling process, the upper and lower limits of the gas pressure can be set. When the gas pressure exceeds the upper limit or falls below the lower limit, the solenoid valve and the main valve are automatically closed and an alarm is sounded. Choose the appropriate working gas according to the type and needs of the laser.

[0036] Step S103, after entering the gas filling process, determine whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser cavity is less than the maximum gas pressure. If it is less than the maximum gas pressure, open the main valve for cyclic gas filling. After each gas filling, perform energy calibration and determine whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, determine whether the difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before gas filling is within the preset range. If it is within the preset range, prompt to request manual maintenance. If it is not within the preset range, continue to cyclically fill.

[0037] In this embodiment, the single gas filling amount is reduced by the cyclic gas filling method, reducing the risk of overcharging. The energy change can be used to distinguish whether it is a simple lack of gas or other faults, avoiding blind gas filling. The difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before gas filling is within the preset range, indicating that even if the gas filling energy is not significantly improved, there may be other problems inside the laser, so manual maintenance is prompted in time.

[0038] Specifically, Figure 4 As shown, first, in order to prevent the pressure in the laser cavity from being too high, resulting in insufficient voltage, it is determined whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser cavity is less than the maximum gas pressure. If the real-time gas pressure is less than the maximum gas pressure, the main valve is opened for gas filling. The purpose of cyclic gas filling is to avoid pressure overshoot caused by adding too much gas at one time. After each gas filling, energy calibration is performed to obtain the real-time energy value and compare it with the preset energy value. Among them, the preset energy value refers to the target energy value when the laser is working normally. If the real-time energy value is still less than the preset energy value, it is further determined whether the energy difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before gas filling is within the preset range (such as setting the energy increase to be less than 5%). If the energy difference is within the preset range, it means that although the gas is added, the energy improvement is not obvious, which may indicate that there are other problems with the laser (such as laser cavity contamination, gas leakage, optical path system deviation), so a prompt is requested for manual maintenance. If the energy difference is not within the preset range, it means that the gas filling is effective but the energy has not reached the target value. The cyclic gas filling should continue until the real-time energy value reaches or exceeds the preset energy value.

[0039] In an optional manner, the method further includes: If the real-time gas pressure of the laser cavity is greater than or equal to the maximum gas pressure, energy calibration is performed.

[0040] In this embodiment, when it is detected that the real-time gas pressure of the laser cavity is greater than or equal to the maximum gas pressure, energy calibration is immediately performed, and even if the voltage reaches the upper limit, it is necessary to confirm whether the energy output meets the requirements.

[0041] After energy calibration, it is determined whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value has reached the maximum value; otherwise, it is determined that the device is working normally.

[0042] In this embodiment, when the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it is further determined whether the voltage value has reached the maximum value to avoid safety risks caused by excessive voltage. It can further distinguish whether manual maintenance is required to avoid unnecessary shutdown and maintenance operations.

[0043] If the voltage value has reached the maximum value, a prompt will be given to request manual maintenance, otherwise the voltage value will be increased and the real-time energy will be tested.

[0044] In this embodiment, if the energy shortage is not simply due to insufficient voltage but due to other reasons (such as laser cavity contamination, gas leakage, optical path system deviation), excessive pressurization will only aggravate the problem. When the voltage reaches the maximum value, it usually means that the discharge condition of the laser has approached the limit. Continuing to increase the voltage may cause device damage. Therefore, if the voltage value has reached the maximum value, a prompt will be issued to request manual maintenance to avoid device damage.

[0045] The voltage, working time, real-time energy value, laser cavity gas pressure and temperature, and corresponding gas replenishment data of the laser during operation are used to train a gas replenishment prediction model; wherein the gas replenishment prediction model includes a TPE sub-model and a GBDT sub-model; Inputting the current voltage, working time, real-time energy value, laser cavity gas pressure and temperature into the gas replenishment amount prediction model to predict the required gas replenishment amount; According to the predicted gas replenishment amount, the automatic gas filling device is controlled to replenish gas.

[0046] In this embodiment, by training the gas replenishment prediction model, the required gas replenishment amount can be accurately predicted based on the voltage, working time, real-time energy value, laser cavity gas pressure and temperature of the laser operation, and the optimal state of the gas environment inside the laser can be maintained, thereby improving the performance and stability of the laser. Among them, by optimizing the hyperparameters through TPE (Tree-structuredParzen Estimator), the optimal GBDT model parameters can be quickly found while saving computing power, which is especially suitable for controllers with poor computing power such as gas laser main controllers.

[0047] Calculate the required gas replenishment amount based on the volume of the laser cavity, the current gas pressure, the target gas pressure and the gas temperature; controlling the automatic gas filling device to fill gas according to the calculated gas filling amount, wherein the current gas pressure and gas temperature are updated after each gas filling; The calculation formula of the gas replenishment amount is: ; Where Q is the required gas replenishment volume in mbar; V is the volume of the laser cavity in m³; is the target air pressure, in mbar; is the current gas pressure, in mbar; R is the gas constant, in J / (mbar·K); T is the gas temperature, in K; α is the diffusion coefficient adjustment factor, dimensionless; D is the diffusion coefficient of the gas, in m² / s; β is the friction coefficient adjustment factor, dimensionless; μ is the friction coefficient of the gas, in mbar·s; γ is the thermal conductivity adjustment factor, dimensionless; k is the thermal conductivity of the gas, in W / (m·K); L is the characteristic length of the laser cavity, in m; η is the pressure change rate adjustment factor, dimensionless; is the pressure change rate, in mbar / s; ζ is the temperature change rate adjustment factor, dimensionless; is the rate of temperature change, dimensionless; is the leakage area adjustment factor, dimensionless.

[0048] In this embodiment, based on the ideal gas law and combined with diffusion, friction, thermal conductivity, pressure and temperature change rate and leakage factors, the cause and process of gas replenishment can be better explained compared to the gas replenishment amount prediction model, which is convenient for fault diagnosis and optimization. Among them, after each gas replenishment, the current gas pressure and gas temperature and other parameters are immediately re-measured, and the updated parameters are re-substituted into the formula to calculate the gas replenishment amount required for the next time. The cycle is executed until the gas pressure in the laser cavity reaches or approaches the target gas pressure.

[0049] To facilitate understanding of the above embodiments, Figures 2 to 4 Please explain in detail.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, the automatic gas filling device includes a laser cavity, a main valve, a gas filling cavity, a gas filling valve, a solenoid valve, and a pressure sensor, wherein the laser cavity pressure value is obtained when the solenoid valve is closed and the main valve is opened; and the gas filling cavity pressure value is obtained when the solenoid valve is opened and the main valve is closed. Figure 3 As shown, a main controller module, an energy calibration module, a voltage control module, a gas filling control module, etc. are added. Among them, The energy calibration module is used to obtain the real-time energy value of the output laser and determine the difference between the real-time energy value and the rated value.

[0051] Voltage control module, used to set the voltage value range U min ~U max , adjust the voltage value of the excitation source and set the voltage quantitative unit: U (kv / time).

[0052] Gas filling control module, used to obtain the pressure value of laser cavity and gas filling cavity, and perform automatic gas filling; the setting range of pressure value in laser cavity is P min ~P max ; Set the gas filling quantitative unit: N (mbar / time); The main controller module is used to determine whether the laser is working properly, whether it is automatically refilling gas, whether the voltage is adjusted, and whether manual intervention is required. Figure 4 As shown: 1. Turn on the laser equipment: (1) When the laser is powered on and the device is turned on, a circuit self-test is performed: The circuit is clear; The input voltage is stable and meets the requirements; The discharge circuit is stable and meets the requirements; (2) The laser is started and energy calibration is performed. The energy calibration module obtains the real-time energy value E of the laser t . The real-time energy value E t Compare with the preset energy value E0.

[0053] If Et When ≥E0, the main controller module confirms that the laser is operating normally.

[0054] If E t When <E0, the main controller module starts the voltage control module to increase the excitation voltage.

[0055] 2. The voltage control module sets the increased voltage value range U min ~U max ; Set the voltage quantitative unit: U (kv / time), U min is the default voltage value, and obtains the real-time energy value E of the laser t , compare E t , E0, if E t ≥E0, the main controller module confirms that the laser is working normally; Otherwise, the main controller module starts the voltage control module and adjusts the excitation voltage energy to increase to U min +U, get the real-time energy value E of the laser t ; Compare E t , E0, if E t ≥E0, the laser works normally; otherwise, the cycle continues until the voltage value reaches U max If E t ≥E0, the main controller module confirms that the laser is working properly. t When <E0, the main controller module starts the gas filling control module to automatically fill the laser.

[0056] 3. The main controller module restores the excitation energy to the default voltage value U min , and put the laser into standby mode, confirming that the laser cavity has stopped running.

[0057] 4. In the gas filling control module, the setting range of the gas pressure value in the laser cavity is P min ~P max ; Gas filling quantity: N (mbar / time), confirm the gas filling conditions: (1) Control the main valve to open and the solenoid valve to close; obtain the real-time gas pressure value P in the laser cavity T , If P T +N<P max When the next step of gas filling is started; If P T +N≥P max When the gas filling is finished, The main controller module restarts the voltage control module until U max , if E t < E0, the main controller module outputs a prompt message: requesting manual maintenance.

[0058] (2) Control the main valve to close and open the solenoid valve; obtain the real-time pressure value P in the standby gas chamber T+1， If P T+1 ≥P T When the next step of gas filling is started; If P T+1 <P T When the gas filling is finished, the main controller module outputs a prompt message: requesting manual maintenance.

[0059] (3) Start filling: Open the main valve and add gas once. After the gas is added, the main valve and solenoid valve will be automatically closed.

[0060] (4) The energy calibration module obtains the real-time energy value E1 of the laser after gasification and compares E1 and E0.

[0061] If E1≥E0, the main controller module confirms that the laser is operating normally.

[0062] If E1<E0, the main controller module further determines whether the energy increases after refueling.

[0063] ①Compare the real-time energy value E1 after gas filling and the default voltage value U before gas filling min The real-time energy value E of the laser t If E1≥E t When the main controller module confirms to start the gas filling control module If E1<E t When the main controller module outputs a prompt message: requesting manual maintenance.

[0064] ②After the cycle of refueling, after each refueling is completed, the main controller module needs to compare the real-time energy values ​​E1, E2...E N ; Ensure that the energy value increases gradually after refueling.

[0065] It can be seen that in this embodiment, the energy calibration module is used to detect the difference between the real-time energy value of the laser output and the preset energy value, and the voltage control module is used to adjust the discharge voltage to stabilize the laser energy output. There is gas loss during the use of the laser. When the voltage is adjusted to the rated maximum value but the output laser energy is still insufficient, the laser is automatically inflated through the gas filling control module to make the gas medium in the excimer laser cavity pressurized within a suitable inflation pressure range, and after each inflation, the rated minimum discharge voltage is set through the control of the main control, and the laser energy output energy value is stable to meet the use requirements. In subsequent use, the main control is used to slightly increase the voltage multiple times to extend the energy output time in a stable state, thereby reducing manual intervention and extending the service life of the equipment.

[0066] According to the solution provided by the present invention, the laser power is turned on and the circuit self-test is started. Among them, the circuit self-test is used to ensure that the input voltage and discharge circuit meet the preset requirements. Energy calibration is used to ensure that the real-time energy value meets the preset requirements; the real-time energy value is compared with the preset energy value. If the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value reaches the maximum value. If not, the voltage value is increased. If so, it prompts that the working air pressure is insufficient, and the automatic gas filling device is started to enter the gas filling process; after entering the gas filling process, it is determined whether the real-time air pressure of the laser is less than the maximum air pressure. If it is less than the maximum air pressure, the main valve is opened for cyclic gas filling, wherein, after each gas filling, energy calibration is performed and it is determined whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the energy difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before gas filling is within the preset range. If it is within the preset range, it prompts to request manual maintenance. If it is not within the preset range, it continues to cyclically fill gas. The present invention realizes precise and automated control of the gas filling process by real-time monitoring and comparison of the energy value of the laser before and after gas filling, which not only enables the energy of the excimer laser to be output stably for a long time, ensuring its stability and reliability in various applications, but also significantly reduces manual maintenance and management costs, and improves overall operational efficiency.

[0067] Figure 5 The schematic diagram of the framework of the automatic gas filling control device of the gas laser according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown, comprising: The laser device start-up module 510 is used to connect the laser power supply and start the circuit self-test; wherein the circuit self-test is used to ensure that the input voltage and the discharge circuit meet the preset requirements.

[0068] The main controller module 520 is used to compare the real-time energy value with the preset energy value. If the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it determines whether the voltage value has reached the maximum value. If not, the voltage value is increased. If so, it indicates that the working gas pressure is insufficient and starts the automatic gas filling device to enter the gas filling process.

[0069] The gas filling control module 530 is used to determine whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser is less than the maximum gas pressure after entering the gas filling process. If it is less than the maximum gas pressure, the main valve is opened for cyclic gas filling. After each gas filling, energy calibration is performed to determine whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before gas filling is within the preset range. If it is within the preset range, a prompt is given to request manual maintenance. If it is not within the preset range, cyclic gas filling continues.

[0070] The voltage control module 540 is used to adjust the voltage value of the gas laser excitation source.

[0071] The energy calibration module 550 is used to obtain the real-time energy value of the output laser, determine the difference between the real-time energy value and the rated value, and provide it to the main controller module for energy calibration.

[0072] According to the solution provided by the present invention, the laser power supply is turned on and the circuit self-check and energy calibration are started; wherein, the circuit self-check is used to ensure that the input voltage and the discharge circuit meet the preset requirements, and the energy calibration is used to obtain the real-time energy value; the real-time energy value is compared with the preset energy value, if the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value has reached the maximum value, if not, the voltage value is increased, if so, it is prompted that the working gas pressure is insufficient, and the automatic gas filling device is started to enter the gas filling process; after entering the gas filling process, it is determined whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser is less than the maximum gas pressure, if it is less than the maximum gas pressure, the main valve is opened for cyclic gas filling, wherein, after each gas filling, energy calibration is performed to determine whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, if it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the energy difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before gas filling is within the preset range, if it is within the preset range, it is prompted to request manual maintenance, if it is not within the preset range, the cyclic gas filling is continued. The present invention realizes precise and automated control of the gas filling process by real-time monitoring and comparison of the energy values ​​of the laser before and after gas filling, which not only enables the energy of the excimer laser to be output stably for a long time, ensuring its stability and reliability in various applications, but also significantly reduces manual maintenance and management costs, thereby improving overall operational efficiency.

[0073] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the modules in the devices in the embodiments may be adaptively changed and arranged in one or more devices different from the embodiments. The modules or units or components in the embodiments may be combined into one module or unit or component, and further may be divided into multiple submodules or subunits or subcomponents. All features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstracts and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or device disclosed in this manner may be combined in any combination, except that at least some of such features and / or processes or units are mutually exclusive. Unless otherwise expressly stated, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstracts and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature that provides the same, equivalent or similar purpose. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, although some embodiments herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not other features, the combination of features of different embodiments is meant to be within the scope of the present invention and to form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any one of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination. The present invention may be implemented by means of hardware including several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a unit scheme that lists several devices, several of these devices may be embodied by the same hardware item. The steps in the above embodiments, unless otherwise specified, should not be understood as limiting the execution order.

Claims

1. A method for automatically controlling gas filling of a gas laser, characterized in that: include: Turn on the laser power supply and start the circuit self-test; the circuit self-test is used to ensure that the input voltage and discharge circuit meet the preset requirements; Start energy calibration to ensure that the real-time energy value meets the preset requirements; During the energy calibration operation, if the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value has reached the maximum value. If not, the voltage value is increased. If so, it is prompted that the working gas pressure is insufficient, and the automatic gas filling device is started to enter the gas filling process; After entering the gas filling process, determine whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser is less than the maximum gas pressure. If it is less than the maximum gas pressure, open the main valve for cyclic gas filling. After each gas filling, perform energy calibration and determine whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before refueling is within the preset range. If it is within the preset range, a prompt is given to request maintenance. If it is not within the preset range, the cyclic refueling continues.

2. The automatic gas filling control method for a gas laser according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the energy calibration is running, if the real-time energy value is greater than or equal to the preset energy value, the device is judged to be working normally.

3. The automatic gas filling control method for a gas laser according to claim 2, characterized in that: The method further comprises: After starting the gas filling process, if the real-time gas pressure of the laser cavity is greater than or equal to the maximum gas pressure, energy calibration is performed.

4. The automatic gas filling control method for a gas laser according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic gas filling device includes a laser cavity, a main valve, a gas filling cavity, a solenoid valve and a pressure sensor; When the electromagnetic valve is closed and the main valve is opened, the pressure value of the laser cavity is obtained; when the electromagnetic valve is opened and the main valve is closed, the pressure value of the gas filling cavity is obtained.

5. The automatic gas filling control method for a gas laser according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The gas replenishment prediction model is trained by the voltage, working time, output energy value, laser cavity gas pressure and temperature, and corresponding gas replenishment data of the laser during operation; wherein the gas replenishment prediction model includes a TPE sub-model and a GBDT sub-model; The current voltage, working time, output energy value, laser cavity gas pressure and temperature are input into the gas replenishment amount prediction model to predict the required gas replenishment amount; According to the predicted gas replenishment amount, the automatic gas filling device is controlled to replenish gas.

6. The automatic gas filling control method for a gas laser according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Calculate the required gas replenishment amount based on the volume of the laser cavity, the current gas pressure, the target gas pressure and the gas temperature; controlling the automatic gas filling device to fill gas according to the calculated gas filling amount, wherein the current gas pressure and gas temperature are updated after each gas filling; The calculation formula for the gas replenishment amount is: ； Where Q is the required gas replenishment volume in mbar; V is the volume of the laser cavity in m³; is the target air pressure, in mbar; is the current gas pressure, in mbar; R is the gas constant, in J / (mbar·K); T is the gas temperature, in K; α is the diffusion coefficient adjustment factor, dimensionless; D is the diffusion coefficient of the gas, in m² / s; β is the friction coefficient adjustment factor, dimensionless; μ is the friction coefficient of the gas, in mbar·s; γ is the thermal conductivity adjustment factor, dimensionless; k is the thermal conductivity of the gas, in W / (m·K); L is the characteristic length of the laser cavity, in m; η is the pressure change rate adjustment factor, dimensionless; is the pressure change rate, in mbar / s; ζ is the temperature change rate adjustment factor, dimensionless; is the temperature change rate, dimensionless; is the leakage area adjustment factor, dimensionless.

7. An automatic gas filling control device for a gas laser, characterized in that: include: The laser equipment startup module is used to connect the laser power supply and start the circuit self-test, which is used to ensure that the input voltage and discharge circuit meet the preset requirements; The main controller module is used to compare the real-time energy value with the preset energy value. If the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the voltage value has reached the maximum value. If not, the voltage value is increased. If yes, it indicates that the working gas pressure is insufficient and enters the gas filling process. The gas filling control module, after starting the gas filling process, determines whether the real-time gas pressure of the laser is less than the maximum gas pressure. If it is less than the maximum gas pressure, the main valve is opened for cyclic gas filling. After each gas filling, energy calibration is performed to determine whether the real-time energy value is less than the preset energy value. If it is less than the preset energy value, it is determined whether the difference between the real-time energy value and the energy before gas filling is within the preset range. If it is within the preset range, a maintenance request is prompted. If it is not within the preset range, the cyclic gas filling is continued; A voltage control module, used for adjusting the voltage value of the gas laser excitation source; The energy calibration module is used to obtain the real-time energy value of the output laser, determine the difference between the real-time energy value and the rated value, and provide it to the main controller module.

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