A sealed high intensity illumination system comprising: a laser light source disposed external to a sealed chamber and configured to direct a laser light beam (362, 365) directly into the sealed chamber; the sealed chamber configured to contain an ionizable medium, the chamber further comprising: a substantially flat ingress window disposed within a wall of an integral reflective chamber interior surface configured to admit the laser beam into the chamber; a plasma sustaining region; a plasma ignition region; a high intensity light egress window configured to emit high intensity light from the chamber; the integral reflective chamber interior surface configured to reflect high intensity light from the plasma sustaining region to the egress window; and a viewing window disposed within the wall of the integral reflective chamber interior surface; and means for changing a focus of the laser light source from the plasma ignition region to the plasma sustaining region, wherein a path of the laser beam is direct from the laser light source through the ingress window to a focal region within the chamber without reflection, the viewing window is configured to provide a visual path to the plasma sustaining region and the plasma ignition region from outside the sealed chamber, the plasma ignition region is disposed between a first ignition electrode and a second ignition electrode, and the plasma sustaining region is not co-located with the plasma ignition region. a laser light source disposed external to a sealed chamber and configured to direct a laser light beam (362, 365) directly into the sealed chamber; the sealed chamber configured to contain an ionizable medium, the chamber further comprising: a substantially flat ingress window disposed within a wall of an integral reflective chamber interior surface configured to admit the laser beam into the chamber; a plasma sustaining region; a plasma ignition region; a high intensity light egress window configured to emit high intensity light from the chamber; the integral reflective chamber interior surface configured to reflect high intensity light from the plasma sustaining region to the egress window; and a viewing window disposed within the wall of the integral reflective chamber interior surface; and a substantially flat ingress window disposed within a wall of an integral reflective chamber interior surface configured to admit the laser beam into the chamber; a plasma sustaining region; a plasma ignition region; a high intensity light egress window configured to emit high intensity light from the chamber; the integral reflective chamber interior surface configured to reflect high intensity light from the plasma sustaining region to the egress window; and a viewing window disposed within the wall of the integral reflective chamber interior surface; and means for changing a focus of the laser light source from the plasma ignition region to the plasma sustaining region, wherein a path of the laser beam is direct from the laser light source through the ingress window to a focal region within the chamber without reflection, the viewing window is configured to provide a visual path to the plasma sustaining region and the plasma ignition region from outside the sealed chamber, the plasma ignition region is disposed between a first ignition electrode and a second ignition electrode, and the plasma sustaining region is not co-located with the plasma ignition region.