High-brightness laser-pumped plasma light source

A laser-pumped plasma light source, comprising:

• a chamber filled with high-pressure gas, a region of radiating plasma sustained in the chamber by a focused beam of a continuous wave (CW) laser;
• at least one output beam of plasma radiation exiting the chamber, a means for plasma ignition, wherein
• the means for plasma ignition is a pulsed laser system generating at least one pulsed laser beam focused in the chamber;
• the chamber consists of a tube, a bottom and a cap;
• one end of the tube is hermetically connected to the bottom, while the other end of the tube is hermetically connected to the cap;
• the cap is arranged for filling the chamber with the gas;
• the tube and the bottom of the chamber are made from an optically transparent material;
• the bottom is arranged for introducing the focused beam of the CW laser and each pulsed laser beam into the chamber, and the tube is arranged for exit of the output beam of plasma radiation from the chamber.