A
line narrowing apparatus and method for a
narrow band DUV high power high repetition rate gas
discharge laser producing output
laser light
pulse beam pulses in bursts of pulses is disclosed, which may comprise a dispersive center
wavelength selection optic contained within a
line narrowing module, selecting at least one center
wavelength for each pulse determined at least in part by the
angle of incidence of the
laser light
pulse beam containing the respective pulse on a dispersive
wavelength selection optic dispersive surface; a first dispersive optic bending mechanism operatively connected to the dispersive center wavelength selection optic and operative to change the curvature of the dispersive surface in a first manner; and, a second dispersive optic bending mechanism operatively connected to the dispersive center wavelength selection optic and operative to change the curvature of the dispersive surface in a second manner. The first manner may modify a first measure of bandwidth and the second manner may modify a second measure of bandwidth such that the ratio of the first measure to the second measure substantially changes. The first measure may be a spectrum width at a selected percentage of the spectrum
peak value (FWX % M) and the second measure may be width within which some selected percentage of the spectral intensity is contained (EX %). The first dispersive optic bending mechanism may change the curvature of the dispersive surface in a first dimension and the second in a second dimension generally orthogonal to the first dimension. The laser
system may comprise a beam path insert comprising a material having an different index of
refraction and an index of
refraction thermal gradient opposite from that of a neighboring optical element. The first dispersive optic bending mechanism may change the curvature of the dispersive surface in a first dimension and the second a second dimension generally parallel to the first dimension. An
optical beam twisting element in the lasing cavity may optically twist the
laser light pulse beam to present a twisted
wavefront to the dispersive center wavelength selection optic. Bending may change the curvature and wavelength selection, e.g., in a burst may create two center wavelength peaks to select FWX % M and EX % independently.