Virtual laser operator

This invention relates to a control system and operator interface for a laser, and particularly for an electric discharge laser used in an industrial application. A laser controller interconnected with an electric discharge laser communicates with a remote computer incorporating a display screen programmably emulating a conventional keyboard. The display screen has a plurality of imaged virtual keys each programmably emulating a physical key of a conventional keyboard. Some virtual keys programmably emulate a prescribed sequence of keystrokes, which control, monitor, and record the laser operation. A prescribed sequence can optionally be automated, conditional, or interrupted by operator prompts. The remote computer communicates serially with the laser controller through an electrically conductive cable, a fiberoptic link, or a wireless channel. A keystroke is typically applied by manually pressing the position of a corresponding virtual key on a touch sensitive screen, or alternatively by actuating a conventional pointing device. The electric discharge laser can be a KrF or ArF excimer laser, or a Fmolecular laser, which can be applied as a radiation exposure source for microlithography.