Inductively coupled plasma light source

A light source comprising:

• a) a plasma chamber comprising:
• i) a plasma generation region that defines a plasma confinement region;
• ii) a port positioned adjacent to a first end of the plasma generation region that allows generated light to pass out of the chamber;
• iii) a high voltage region coupled to a second end of the plasma generation region;
• and
• iv) a grounded region coupled to the high voltage region;
• b) an insulated region having a first end that is coupled to the grounded region and a second end that is configured to be coupled to ground potential, the insulated region reducing negative potential proximate to the grounded region to reduce attraction of ions generated in the plasma generation region;
• c) an inner inductive core positioned around the plasma generation region that couples current into a plasma loop;
• d) an outer inductive core positioned around the inner inductive core;
• and
• e) an inductive core positioned around a portion of the grounded region and configured to prevent current flow in the grounded region.

A method of generating light, the method comprising:

• a) providing feed gas to a plasma confinement region in a plasma chamber;
• b) applying a high voltage pulse to a high voltage region connected to the plasma confinement region in the plasma chamber;
• c) grounding a grounded region electrically connected to the high voltage region;
• d) applying a train of voltage pulses to at least one capacitor electrically connected across an outer magnetic core surrounding an inner magnetic core that is positioned around the plasma confinement region, the voltage pulses causing at least one capacitor to charge so that the outer magnetic core saturates resulting in the at least one capacitor discharging causing the inner core to couple current pulses into the plasma confinement region, thereby forming a plasma in a loop where the plasma is sustained between voltage pulses by a leakage current, the plasma generating light that propagates through a transparent port positioned adjacent to the plasma confinement region;
• e) grounding an insulting region that is coupled to the grounded region, thereby reducing attraction of ions generated in the plasma loop to the grounded region;
• and
• f) applying an electric current to an inductive core surrounding a portion of the grounded region of the plasma chamber, thereby reducing current flow into the grounded region.