Excimer Laser Gas Recirculation and Rebalancing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Excimer lasers face significant operating costs due to the depletion and contamination of rare, high-purity noble gases like xenon and krypton, which are essential for their operation, leading to increased maintenance and energy losses.
Innovation Solution
A system for recirculating and rebalancing the gas atmosphere within excimer lasers, utilizing methods such as adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, and pressure swing adsorption to remove impurities and replenish noble gases from external supplies, ensuring optimal gas mixtures are maintained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If excimer lasers operate continuously using rare noble gases, then laser output power is maintained, but noble gases are depleted and contaminants accumulate, requiring periodic replacement and increasing operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a gas recovery system that captures spent laser gas containing depleted noble gases and contaminants, separates the noble gases from contaminants through purification processes, and recirculates the recovered noble gases back into the laser chamber. This closes the material loop and prevents noble gas depletion while maintaining continuous laser operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous laser operation by implementing ongoing gas purification and recirculation processes. Rather than periodic replacement, the noble gases are continuously recovered and replenished, maintaining constant laser power output without interruption for gas replacement.
2Productivity
If excimer lasers operate continuously, then productivity increases, but contaminants accumulate in the gas mixture, impairing laser operation and requiring gas replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful effect of contaminant accumulation into a beneficial process by using the contaminants as a target for separation and purification. The gas purification system is designed to specifically remove contaminants while preserving the noble gases, transforming the problem of contamination into an opportunity for gas recovery and recycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gas purification system as an intermediary between the laser chamber and the external environment. This intermediary system captures and processes the spent gas, separating contaminants from noble gases, and condition the recovered gas for recirculation, thereby enabling continuous operation without direct gas replacement.
3Power
If voltage is increased to maintain constant power despite contaminant buildup, then laser output power is maintained, but electrode materials deteriorate more rapidly, increasing maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The gas recovery and purification system performs preliminary action by removing contaminants from the gas mixture before they can accumulate to levels that would require voltage compensation. By maintaining cleaner gas continuously, the system prevents the conditions that lead to accelerated electrode deterioration, extending electrode lifespan without compromising power output.
4Device complexity
If noble gases are vented after use, then the laser system can be simplified, but significant amounts of expensive noble gases are lost, increasing operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of venting and discarding the spent noble gases, the system implements recovery by capturing the exhaust gas, purifying it to remove contaminants, and recirculating the recovered noble gases back into the laser chamber. This eliminates noble gas loss while the complexity is managed through integrated system design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively recovers and recirculates noble gases, reducing operational costs and maintaining consistent laser performance by removing impurities and replenishing depleted gases, thus extending the life of the laser and minimizing energy losses.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing methods such as adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, and pressure swing adsorption to remove impurities
Implementation Method 2
utilizing methods such as adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, and pressure swing adsorption to remove impurities
Implementation Method 3
utilizing methods such as adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, and pressure swing adsorption to remove impurities
Implementation Method 4
The purifier 251 may be, but is not limited to, a means for removing the enhancing gas and may partially remove the noble lasing gases by way of, but not limited to, adsorption by transitional metals, adsorption by high surface area zeolite, alumina, and/or carbon, temperature swing adsorption, pressure swing adsorption
Implementation Method 5
The purifier 251 may be, but is not limited to, a means for removing the enhancing gas and may partially remove the noble lasing gases by way of, but not limited to, adsorption by transitional metals, adsorption by high surface area zeolite, alumina, and/or carbon, temperature swing adsorption, pressure swing adsorption
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for recirculating the gas atmosphere within an excimer laser system, where contaminates, created in the laser's operation, are removed, and the gas concentrations of additive gases, such as Xe, Kr, or others, depleted in the laser operation, are rebalanced to specific lasing mixtures by analyzation and component replenishment from one or more external supplies.