A molecular fluorine laser system includes a discharge tube filled with a
gas mixture including molecular fluorine and at least one buffer gas and
having a total pressure of less than substantially 2500 mbar, multiple
electrodes within the discharge tube, a pulsed discharge circuit connected
to the electrodes for energizing the gas mixture, a line-selection optic
for selecting one of multiple closely-spaced lines around 157 nm emitted
from the discharge tube, and a laser resonator including the
line-selection optic and the discharge tube for generating a beam of laser
pulses having a wavelength around 157 nm at a bandwidth of less than 0.6
pm.
