Changes

*Now that all components have arrived (Fluorine gas and regulator) I have begun testing the laser output. I first experienced no light except what was reflected from the pre-ionization pins. After the system was recharged with a fresh gas mixture, I began to see a light blue beam that was about 12"x6" in size (I believe this to be a fluorescence effect). It wasn't until about the 5th refill that I saw an actual laser beam. Unfortunately, the beam was very spread out, and only lasted a matter of minutes. Believing this to be an issue of passivation, I started refilling and running the laser while timing the duration of actual laser beam. The beam has hit a wall at around 5 minutes, after which it begins to mesh in with the background light until it is indistinguishable. Contacting Coherent Inc. contact Jeff Edberg lead to the proper passivation procedure. However, the red light has been only lasting a maximum of 7.5 minutes.

*Now that all components have arrived (Fluorine gas and regulator) I have begun testing the laser output. I first experienced no light except what was reflected from the pre-ionization pins. After the system was recharged with a fresh gas mixture, I began to see a light blue beam that was about 12"x6" in size (I believe this to be a fluorescence effect). It wasn't until about the 5th refill that I saw an actual laser beam. Unfortunately, the beam was very spread out, and only lasted a matter of minutes. Believing this to be an issue of passivation, I started refilling and running the laser while timing the duration of actual laser beam. The beam has hit a wall at around 5 minutes, after which it begins to mesh in with the background light until it is indistinguishable. Contacting Coherent Inc. contact Jeff Edberg lead to the proper passivation procedure. However, the red light has been only lasting a maximum of 7.5 minutes.

*I decided to re-align the optics for the laser system and replace the cracked CaF2 lens with the new one purchased from Lattice Electro Optics. After which I saw an increase in beam intensity and an increase in geometrical sharpness of the beam, but no increase in beam duration.

*I decided to re-align the optics for the laser system and replace the cracked CaF2 lens with the new one purchased from Lattice Electro Optics. After which I saw an increase in beam intensity and an increase in geometrical sharpness of the beam, but no increase in beam duration.

*I found an ([http://www.airproducts.com/NR/rdonlyres/D46880D1-71BA-4C0B-A326-6D79EF8E122F/0/467MI.pdf article]) which stresses that unclean gas handling lines can contain hydrocarbons which react with fluorine gas to produce <math>CF_4</math>, which can have a negative effect on pulse duration in ArF excimer lasers.

*I found an [http://www.airproducts.com/NR/rdonlyres/D46880D1-71BA-4C0B-A326-6D79EF8E122F/0/467MI.pdf article] which stresses that unclean gas handling lines can contain hydrocarbons which react with fluorine gas to produce <math>CF_4</math>, which can have a negative effect on pulse duration in ArF excimer lasers. Looking at the lines we currently use, it was clear that this may be an issue as they were from Dr. Eyler's original setup used for XeCl.

 

==Passivation for ArF==

==Passivation for ArF==

1)Bleed all lines prior to this process.

1)Bleed all lines prior to this process.