Development of novel trace contaminant removal technology for extending Excimer Laser life.

LightMachinery is a manufacturer of high power gas discharge TEA CO2 and Excimer lasers based out ofOttawa, ON. Over the past several years, this company has been seeking new ways of extending the useablelifespan of their lasers through removal of trace impurities generated within the system during operation. Inresponse to recent NSERC-sponsored research in the area of adsorption-based technology for the removal ofacid gases from industrial process streams, LightMachinery is exploring the potential of this technology at aminiaturized scale and the fundamental effects these systems might have on the Excimer laser performance.The proposed research focuses on the selection, preparation and testing of various adsorption materials todetermine their feasibility for use in LightMachinery's facilities in Ottawa. Through a combination of physicalproperty testing of acid-gas pickup and multi-component gas interactions, and practical performance testswithin industrial laser units, this project is exploring novel methods of addressing the key deactivationmechanism which limits the life-span of gas fills for Fluoride-based Excimer lasers.