Rotating lamp for laser-sustained plasma illumination source

A characterization system comprising:

• a broadband illumination source comprising:
• a rotatable gas containment structure for containing a gas;
• a rotational drive system configured to rotate the rotatable gas containment structure about an axis to suppress a convective plume from the plasma maintained within the rotatable gas containment structure;
• a pump source configured to generate pump illumination;
• and
• a reflector element configured to direct a portion of the pump illumination into the gas to sustain a plasma, wherein the reflector is configured to collect at least a portion of broadband light emitted from the plasma, wherein the rotatable gas containment structure includes a transparent portion for transmitting the pump illumination into the rotatable gas containment structure and transmitting broadband illumination out of the rotatable gas containment structure;
• a set of illumination optics configured to direct broadband light from the broadband illumination source to one or more samples;
• a set of collection optics configured to collect light emanating from the one or more samples;
• and
• a detector assembly.

A method for generating broadband illumination comprising:

• rotating a rotatable gas containment structure about an axis to suppress a convective plume from the plasma maintained within the rotatable gas containment structure;
• generating pump illumination with a pump source;
• directing, with a reflector element, a portion of the pump illumination into a gas in the rotatable gas containment structure to sustain a plasma;
• and
• collecting a portion of broadband light emitted from the plasma with the reflector element and directing the portion of broadband light to one or more downstream applications.