Stabilized Diode Laser for Laser-Driven Light Source

A laser-driven light source comprising:

• a) a laser source that generates continuous wave (CW) sustaining light at an output, the laser source comprising:
• i) a diode laser that generates a CW laser beam at an output;
• and
• ii) an optical element optically coupled to the output of the diode laser, the optical element comprising a region that passes a portion of the CW laser beam to the output of the laser source and a reflection region that reflects another portion of the CW laser beam back to the output of the diode laser, wherein the reflection region is configured to select a spatial mode and wavelength of the CW laser beam generated by the diode laser, thereby generating the CW sustaining light with radiant flux and spectral shape that is stable as a function of time;
• and
• b) a gas-filled bulb optically coupled to the output of the laser source such that the generated CW sustaining light sustains a CW plasma in the gas-filled bulb, thereby emitting light with radiant flux and spectral shape stable as a function of time.