Swirler for laser-sustained plasma light source with reverse vortex flow

A plasma lamp for use in a laser-sustained plasma (LSP) light source is disclosed. The plasma lamp includes a gas containment structure for containing a gas, a gas seal positioned at a base of the gas containment structure, a gas inlet, and a gas outlet. The plasma lamp includes a gas swirler including a set of nozzles configured to generate a vortex gas flow and a swirler shaft including an inlet channel for delivering the gas from the gas inlet to the nozzles and an outlet channel for delivering the gas from the gas containment structure to the gas outlet. The plasma lamp includes a distributor including one or more plenums to distribute the gas from the gas inlet into the swirler. The plasma lamp may also include a deflector fluidically coupled to the swirler shaft and extending above the set of nozzles and configured to direct gas flow around the swirler.