Thermal plasma jets have been widely used in various materials processing techniques. However, the conventional thermal plasma torches usually generate turbulent plasma jets with the disadvantages of high axial temperature gradient, a short jet length and difficulties in the process control relatively, limiting its applications to materials processing. Therefore, this paper proposes a new laminar plasma torch (LPT) working with pure nitrogen to generate laminar plasma jet (LPJ). Its design and structural characteristics, e.g. segmented anode, axial gas injection, parallel water cooling structure, etc., are detailed to ensure the stability, the favorable temperature and velocity distribution of the generated LPJ. Experiments on the characteristics of the LPT showed that the generated LPJ possessed high specific enthalpy (ranging between 10 and 90 kJ/g), long jet length (maximum length: 480 mm) and low axial temperature gradient, and its output power a current and the gas flow rate. In addition, the thermal efficiency of the LPT was experimentally determined to be ranging between 25 and 45 %. Furthermore, experiment and simulation on the application of the LPJ for surface quenching verified the even radial temperature distribution of the plasma jet and high heat flux density brought to the surface.