GAS LASER OSCILLATOR, AND METHOD FOR MEASURING LASER GAS SUBSTITUTIONAL AMOUNT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a laser gas substitutional amount per unit time in a gas laser oscillator without using a gas flowmeter. SOLUTION: The gas laser oscillator 11 includes supplying side valves 35, 37 for adjusting laser gas supply to a gas chamber 13, discharge side valves 43, 45 and 47 for adjusting laser gas discharge from the gas chamber 13, a gas pressure measuring instrument 29 for measuring pressure in the gas chamber 13, and a controller 15 functioning as a laser gas substitutional amount measuring means. The controller allows the gas pressure measuring instrument to perform first and second measurements concerning the pressure in the gas chamber 13, and obtains the laser gas substitutional amount per unit time when laser oscillation is operated, based on the result of the first measurement and the result of the second measurement. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT