Pre-ionization method for CO

1. In an RF powered gas-discharge laser, including discharge electrodes and a lasing gas mixture between the electrodes, the lasing gas mixture being ionized when the RF power is applied to the electrodes and laser action being initiated when the RF power has been applied for a duration sufficient to ignite a discharge, a method of pre-ionizing the lasing gas mixture with a series of simmer pulses, comprising the steps of:

applying a pulse of RF power to the electrodes to generate a simmer pulse;

monitoring RF power reflected back from the electrodes during the application of the RF power pulse;

repeating the applying and monitoring steps after a predetermined time period to generate a series of simmer pulses;

and

whenever the reflected RF power monitored during the application of the RF power pulses falls below a predetermined level indicative of the imminent onset of laser action, terminating the application of the RF power to the electrodes to prevent the laser action from occurring.

2. The pre-ionizing method of claim 1 , further including the steps of determining a maximum time period during which the RF power can be applied to the electrodes without expecting laser action to occur, and if the monitored reflected RF power does not fall below the predetermined level indicative of the imminent onset of laser action before the maximum time period has elapsed, terminating the application of the RF power after the maximum time period has elapsed.

3. In an RF powered gas-discharge laser, including discharge electrodes and a lasing gas mixture between the electrodes, the lasing gas mixture being ionized when the RF power is applied to the electrodes and laser action being initiated when the RF power has been applied for a duration sufficient to ignite a discharge, a method of pre-ionizing the lasing gas mixture, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a maximum time period during which the RF power can be applied to the electrodes without expecting laser action to occur;

(b) initiating application of RF power to the electrodes;

(c) monitoring RF power reflected back from the electrodes;

(d) if before RF power has been applied to the electrodes for the maximum time period the monitored reflected RF power falls below a predetermined level indicative of the imminent onset of laser action, terminating the application of the RF power to the electrodes before the maximum time period has elapsed to prevent the laser action from occurring, else terminating the application of the RF power to the electrodes when the maximum time period has elapsed;

(e) repeating steps (b), (c), and (d) a predetermined number of times with a predetermined time between repetitions; and

(f) if the monitored reflected power does not fall below the predetermined level indicative of the imminent onset of laser action during any of the repetitions of steps (b), (c) and (d), providing a fault-signal indicating that this is the case.

4. In an RF powered gas-discharge laser, including discharge electrodes and a lasing gas mixture between the electrodes, the lasing gas mixture being ionized when the RF power is applied to the electrodes and laser action being initiated when the RF power has been applied for a duration sufficient to ignite a discharge, a method of pre-ionizing the lasing gas mixture, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a first maximum time period during which the RF power can be applied to the electrodes without expecting laser action to occur;

(b) estimating a second maximum time period during which the RF power can be applied to the electrodes without initiating laser action, the second maximum time being significantly less than the first maximum time period;

(c) initiating application of RF power to the electrodes;

(d) monitoring RF power reflected back from the electrodes;

(e) if no RF power is monitored during step (d), terminating the application of the RF power to the electrodes when the second maximum time period has elapsed, repeating steps (c), (d), and (e), with a first predetermined interval between repetitions, and providing a first fault signal indicating that no reflected RF power has been monitored; else

(f) if before RF power has been applied to the electrodes for the first maximum time period the monitored reflected RF power falls below a predetermined level indicative of the imminent onset of laser action, terminating the application of the RF power to the electrodes to prevent the laser action from occurring, else terminating the application of the RF power to the electrodes when the first maximum time has elapsed.

5. The pre-ionizing method of claim 4 , further including, following step (f) the step of (g) repeating steps (c), (d) and (f) a predetermined number of times with a predetermined time interval between repetitions, and if the monitored reflected power does not fall below the predetermined level indicative of the imminent onset of laser action during any of the repetitions of steps (c), (d) and (f), providing a second fault-signal indicating that this is the case.

6. A gas discharge laser apparatus, comprising:

a laser head including discharge electrodes and a lasing gas mixture between the electrodes;

an RF power supply for supplying RF power to the electrodes for exciting the lasing gas mixture therebetween;

a sensor for monitoring RF power reflected back from the electrodes as a result of an impedance mismatch between the RF power supply and the electrodes; and

control circuitry cooperative with the reflected RF power monitor and arranged to repeatedly initiate and terminate RF power delivery to the electrodes by the RFPS for providing simmer-pulses for pre-ionizing the lasing gas mixture, said control circuitry being arranged to terminate a simmer pulse when the reflected RF power monitor detects a fall in the reflected RF power below a predetermined level indicative of the onset of laser action in the laser head.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is further arranged to terminate a simmer pulse after a predetermined first maximum time period has elapsed if the fall in reflected RF power is not detected within that first maximum time period.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is further arranged such that if a predetermined number of simmer pulses terminated after the first maximum time period are consecutively delivered, the control circuitry delivers a fault signal indicating that this is the case.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is also arranged such that if the reflected RF power monitor does not detect any reflected RF power after initiating of RF power delivery to the electrodes, the simmer pulses are terminated after a second maximum time period has elapsed, the second maximum time period being significantly less than the first maximum time period.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second maximum time period is between about 10% and about 50% of the first maximum time period.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the control circuitry is also arranged such that if the reflected RF power monitor does not detect any reflected RF power after initiating of RF power delivery to the electrodes the control circuitry delivers a “no feedback” signal to indicate that this is the case.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the control circuitry is further arranged such that if a predetermined number of simmer pulses terminated after the first maximum time period are consecutively delivered the control circuitry delivers a fault signal indicating that this is the case.