Generation of picosecond UV pulses by an Nd³⁺:YAG laser for amplification in an ArF amplifier

Abstract

The scheme generating UV pulses with a duration 15 ps and output energy up to 11.5 mJ is implemented in the system consisting of a picosecond Nd 3+ : YAG laser with multistage nonlinearoptical conversion of fundamental frequency radiation into radiation with a wavelength 193 nm followed by an excimer ArF amplifier. The temporal characteristics and the contrast of the amplified pulses are measured.