Multi-spot laser-sustained plasma light source

A characterization system comprising:

• a laser-sustained broadband light source comprising:
• a pump source configured to generate a pump beam;
• one or more collimating optical elements configured to collimate the pump beam into a collimated pump beam;
• one or more focusing optical elements;
• a beamsplitter located at a conjugate plane between the one or more collimating optical elements and the one or more focusing optical elements;
• and
• a gas containment structure configured to contain a gas,
• wherein the beamsplitter is configured to split the collimated pump beam into a plurality of pump beamlets,
• wherein the one or more focusing optical elements are configured to focus the plurality of pump beamlets to a plurality of different focus positions within the gas to generate a plurality of plasma regions at the different focus positions, wherein a respective plasma region is generated at a respective focus position;
• and
• a light collector element configured to collect at least a portion of broadband light emitted from the plasma;
• a set of illuminator optics configured to direct the broadband light from the light collector element to one or more samples;
• a detector assembly;
• and
• a set of projection optics configured to receive illumination from a surface of the one or more samples and direct the illumination from the one or more samples to the detector assembly.

A method comprising:

• generating a beam of pump illumination;
• collimating the beam of pump illumination into a collimated pump beam;
• splitting the collimated pump beam into a plurality of pump beamlets with one or more beamsplitters;
• focusing the plurality of pump beamlet to a plurality of focus positions within a gas contained within a gas containment structure to generate a plurality of plasma regions at different focus positions, wherein a respective plasma region is generated at a respective focus position;
• and
• collecting at least a portion of broadband light emitted from the plurality of plasma regions and delivering the portion of the broadband light to one or more optical elements external to the gas containment structure.

A broadband light source comprising:

• a pump source configured to generate a pump beam;
• one or more collimating optical elements configured to collimate the pump beam into a collimated pump beam;
• one or more focusing optical elements;
• a beam-shaper located at a conjugate plane between the one or more collimating optical elements and the one or more focusing optical elements;
• and
• a gas containment structure configured to contain a gas,
• wherein the beam-shaper is configured to condition the collimated pump beam to generate a smooth intensity distribution within the gas containment structure.