The new IndyStar from Coherent claims the longest tube lifetime of any compact industrial excimer laser, providing increased reliability and lower overall cost of ownership for OEMs and end users
Specifically, the IndyStar incorporates Coherent's newest excimer tube design, the RoHS-Almeta, which delivers several billion pulses at 193 and 248nm.
This new ArF laser produces stabilized energies of 8mJ/pulse at 193nm and 12mJ at 248nm operation, at repetition rates up to 1kHz with a small beam cross-section (6x3mm).
The IndyStar has been designed as a next-generation replacement for the ExciStar S-Industrial excimer laser.
To make upgrading effortless, all critical dimensions, power connections, computer interfaces and main performance parameter of the IndyStar are identical to the ExciStar S Industrial.
Target applications for the IndyStar are in precision manufacturing and inspection, where its high repetition rate and stabilised, low-noise output are key requirements.
Application examples include photomask inspection and inkjet nozzle drilling, as well as in several micromachining applications.
The new Almeta tube technology enables the IndyStar to achieve superior reliability long component lifetimes for two main reasons: First, organic materials have been eliminated from the former metal-ceramic FutureTube design.
And, secondly, a change in the arrangement of the electrode capacitors lowers the charge density at the electrodes, without reducing the output power of the tube.
As a result, the IndyStar offers tube lifetimes, and dynamic gas lifetimes many times longer than its predecessor.
The IndyStar will be available for ArF (193nm) and KrF (248nm) operation.
