| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser apparatus capable of reducing the consumption of laser gas. <P>SOLUTION: A laser apparatus comprises a laser oscillator, an arithmetic operation unit and a determination unit. The laser oscillator has a housing with laser gas included therein, and a pressure detection unit for detecting a pressure in the housing. The laser oscillator performs sealed operation so that the laser gas remains included in the housing until an exchange period of the laser gas elapses, and the laser gas in the housing is exchanged when the laser apparatus is not in operation after the exchange period of the laser gas has been elapsed. The arithmetic operation unit calculates a leakage per unit time of the laser gas based on a plurality of pressures detected by the pressure detection unit at a plurality of different timings and time intervals of the plurality of different timings. The determination unit determines the exchange period of the laser gas included in the housing in accordance with the leakage per unit time calculated by the arithmetic operation unit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT |
