Patent ID: 9723703
Date: 2017-08-01
CPC Classifications: H01J,H05G

Claim:
1. A laser-sustained plasma light source comprising: a pump source configured to generate pumping illumination; one or more illumination optical elements; a gas containment structure configured to contain a volume of gas, wherein the one or more illumination optical elements are configured to sustain a plurality of plasma features along a selected direction within the volume of gas by directing pump illumination along one or more pump paths to a plurality of focal spots arranged along the selected direction within the volume of gas, wherein the plurality of plasma features are sustained simultaneously within the gas containment structure, wherein gas separates two or more of the plasma features; one or more collection optical elements configured to collect broadband radiation emitted by the plurality of plasma features along a collection path, wherein the one or more illumination optical elements are configured to define the pump path such that pump illumination impinges the plurality of plasma features along a direction transverse to a primary direction of propagation of the emitted broadband light of the collection path such that the pump illumination is substantially decoupled from the emitted broadband radiation.