A closed‐cycle recirculating system is described which enables prolonged operation of a rare‐gas halide excimer laser on a single charge of rare‐gas mixture. The flowing gas is continuously purified in a high‐temperature titanium gettering furnace, following removal of the halogen by reaction to form a volatile, but condensable, metal halide. The halogen is reintroduced after the rare‐gas purification, being consumed in the operation of the laser along with the gettering metal.