Patent ID: 9506871
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: F21K,G01N,G02B,H05H

Claim Text:
1. An illumination source comprising: a pulsed laser operable to generate a beam of pulsed laser light having a pulse duration that is less than a pulse repetition period of the pulsed laser; a working medium; one or more beam shaping optics configured to focus the beam of pulsed laser light to a location within the working medium; and a computing system configured to communicate a command signal to the pulsed laser that causes the pulsed laser to adjust the pulse duration, the pulse repetition period, or both, such that a plasma emission is repeatedly ignited in the working medium by the focused beam of pulsed laser light during an on time of the beam of pulsed laser light, and wherein the plasma is repeatedly extinguished during an off time of the beam of pulsed laser light, and wherein a modulation depth of accessible light output from the plasma emission is greater than ninety percent.