Laser-sustained plasma light source with reverse vortex flow

A characterization system comprising:

• a laser-sustained light source comprising:
• a gas containment structure for containing a gas, wherein the gas containment structure comprises a body, a neck, and a shaft;
• a plurality of nozzles position in or below the neck of the gas containment structure;
• a plurality of gas delivery lines fluidically coupled to the plurality of nozzles and configured to deliver gas to the plurality of nozzles;
• one or more gas inlets fluidically coupled to the gas delivery lines for providing gas into the plurality of gas delivery lines;
• one or more gas outlets fluidically coupled to the gas containment structure and configured to flow gas out of the gas containment structure, wherein the one or more gas inlets and the one or more gas outlets are arranged to generate a vortex gas flow within the gas containment structure;
• a gas seal positioned at a base of the gas containment structure;
• a laser pump source configured to generate an optical pump to sustain a plasma in a region of the gas containment structure within an inner gas flow within the vortex gas flow;
• and
• a light collector element configured to collect at least a portion of broadband light emitted from the plasma;
• a set of illumination optics configured to direct broadband light from the laser-sustained light 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 plasma cell comprising:

• a gas containment structure for containing a gas, wherein the gas containment structure comprises a body, a neck, and a shaft;
• a plurality of nozzles position in or below the neck of the gas containment structure;
• a plurality of gas delivery lines fluidically coupled to the plurality of nozzles and configured to deliver gas to the plurality of nozzles;
• one or more gas inlets fluidically coupled to the gas delivery lines for providing gas into the plurality of gas delivery lines;
• one or more gas outlets fluidically coupled to the gas containment structure and configured to flow gas out of the gas containment structure, wherein the one or more gas inlets and the one or more gas outlets are arranged to generate a vortex gas flow within the gas containment structure;
• and
• a gas seal positioned at a base of the gas containment structure, wherein the gas containment structure is configured to receive an optical pump to sustain a plasma within the vortex gas flow.