The ATLEX series of short pulse excimer lasers employs state-of-the-art metal-ceramic technology and creates powerful new concepts in equipment and design of the discharge process. The patented OPEC technique of intensified ultra-fast preionization provides highly efficient laser performance with pulse duration of a few nanoseconds and enhanced reliability of all high voltage components

The main features of ATLEX laser design are:

• OPEC - ultra-fast preionization technique (patented)
• Laser tube volume less than 2.5 litres
• Total metal-ceramic tube
• Air-cooled; even up to 500 Hz rep. rate
• RS-485 interface for system integration
• Meets European CE standard
• Handheld controller

Background

In 1993 ATL Lasertechnik recognised that expanding the range of applications for coherent UV radiation in science, medicine and industry required a new generation of excimer lasers to fill the gap between large, conventional UV laser sources such as excimer lasers (moderate rep rates, hundreds of millijoules) and RFI-excited UV sources (high rep rates, micro-joules).

This technology is particularly apparent in applications requiring deep UV (248 nm, 193 nm, and 157 nm) beyond the current range of diode-pumped solid state sources.

This gap has now been filled by the ATLEX range of powerful air-cooled excimer lasers, based on metal-ceramic technology.

The unique ATLEX laser design results in a rectangular beam of unsurpassed homogeneity, as shown in the profile, unlike competing small lasers having a more Gaussian beam profile.

Gaussian profiles are often described as excellent but are not ideally suited for materials processing or medical applications.