Swirler for 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 gas seal positioned at a base of the gas containment structure;
• a gas inlet;
• a gas outlet;
• a swirler, the swirler comprising:
• a plurality of nozzles positioned in or below the neck of the gas containment structure and arranged to generate a vortex gas flow within the gas containment structure;
• and
• a swirler shaft including an inlet channel for delivering the gas from the gas inlet to the plurality of nozzles and an outlet channel for delivering the gas from the gas containment structure to the gas outlet;
• a distributor, wherein the distributor includes one or more plenums configured to distribute the gas from the gas inlet into the swirler;
• 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 lamp comprising:

• a gas containment structure for containing a gas, wherein the gas containment structure comprises a body, a neck, and a shaft;
• a gas seal positioned at a base of the gas containment structure;
• a gas inlet;
• a gas outlet;
• a swirler, the swirler comprising:
• a plurality of nozzles positioned in or below the neck of the gas containment structure and arranged to generate a vortex gas flow within the gas containment structure;
• and
• a swirler shaft including an inlet channel for delivering the gas from the gas inlet to the plurality of nozzles and an outlet channel for delivering the gas from the gas containment structure to the gas outlet;
• and
• a distributor, wherein the distributor includes one or more plenums configured to distribute the gas from the gas inlet into the swirler.