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Abstract

The use of noble gases is indispensable for producing an extreme ultraviolet frequency comb, using high-repetition rate high-harmonic generation. However, their high cost and limited availability have prompted the development of a closed-loop noble gas recycling system. In our system, the target gas is injected through a typically 20-100 μm sized nozzle into a laser focus, subsequently caught by vacuum pumps and compressed to a pressure of up to 200 bar. In this work, the leakage rates and recycling efficiency of the system are investigated, crucial parameters for the performance of the recycling system. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the recycling system in maintaining gas purity and minimizing gas consumption, thereby significantly reducing operating costs. Consequently, enabling long extreme ultraviolet Operation in the order of weeks, necessary for ultra-narrow bandwidth direct frequency comb spectroscopic needs, which would not be possible without a gas recycling system.