Vuv laser-sustained plasma light source with direct gas flow

A characterization system comprising:

• a laser-sustained light source comprising:
• a laser pump source configured to generate one or more laser pump beams for sustaining a plasma;
• a gas chamber assembly comprising:
• a chamber configured to contain a gas;
• a laser input configured to couple the one or more laser pump beams from the laser pump source into a plasma region within the chamber to sustain the plasma;
• a laser output configured to transmit unabsorbed laser pump light outside of the chamber;
• one or more broadband output windows configured to transmit broadband light from the plasma outside of the chamber;
• one or more transparent nozzles positioned within the chamber and configured to direct gas flow into a plasma region and transmit the one or more laser pump beams to the plasma region;
• one or more transparent structures positioned within the chamber and configured to shield one or more optical collection paths from gas flow;
• one or more gas inlets;
• and
• one or more gas outlets, wherein the one or more gas inlets and the one or more gas outlets are configured to provide a flow of the gas through the plasma region;
• and
• a light collector element configured to collect broadband light emitted from the plasma and transmitted through the one or more broadband output windows,
• wherein the characterization system further comprises:
• 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 method for generating broadband vacuum-ultraviolet light comprising:

• providing a gas chamber assembly comprising:
• a chamber configured to contain a gas;
• a laser input configured to couple one or more laser pump beams into a plasma region within the chamber to sustain a plasma;
• a laser output configured to transmit unabsorbed laser pump light outside the chamber;
• one or more broadband output windows configured to transmit broadband light from the plasma outside the chamber;
• one or more transparent nozzles positioned within the chamber and configured to direct gas flow into the plasma region;
• one or more transparent cones positioned within the chamber and configured to shield one or more optical collection paths from gas flow;
• one or more gas inlets;
• and
• one or more gas outlets;
• generating one or more laser pump beams with a laser pump source;
• coupling the one or more laser pump beams into the plasma region via the laser input to sustain the plasma;
• flowing the gas through the plasma region by:
• supplying the gas through the one or more gas inlets;
• directing the gas into the plasma region through the transparent nozzles;
• and
• exhausting the gas through the one or more gas outlets;
• collecting broadband light emitted from the plasma and transmitted through the one or more broadband output windows with a light collector element;
• and
• transmitting unabsorbed laser pump light outside the chamber via the laser output.