Abstract: A system for compensating abberative effects caused by a bulb of a plasma cell includes an illumination source configured to generate illumination; a plasma cell, the plasma cell including a bulb for containing a volume of gas; an ellipse configured to focus illumination from the illumination source into the volume of gas in order to generate a plasma within the volume of gas; and one or more adaptive optical elements configured to compensate for aberrations produced by one or more optical elements, the one or more adaptive optics elements positioned along an illumination pathway between the illumination source and the plasma cell.

Abstract: A laser-sustained plasma light source with a bulb for enclosing a relatively cool gas environment, and an electrode disposed at least partially within the gas environment. A power supply applies a potential to the electrode, where the power supply is sufficient to create a corona discharge at the electrode within the gas environment, and the power supply is not sufficient to produce an arc discharge within the gas environment. The corona discharge thereby produces a relatively heated gas environment. A pump laser source focuses a laser beam within the gas environment, where the laser beam is sufficient to ignite a plasma in the relatively heated gas environment, but is not sufficient to ignite a plasma in the relatively cool gas environment.

Abstract: A pulse stretcher includes a plurality of substantially parallel slab-like optical paths of different optical path lengths and a plurality of reflecting surfaces, which are totally internally reflecting surface formed, located at an end of the corresponding optical path. Due to the different path lengths, the pulse stretcher can spread out an input pulse into a stretched pulse having a longer pulse duration and proportionally lower intensity than the initial pulse.