Electrodeless discharge at atmospheric pressure

Details Electrodeless discharge at atmospheric pressure Electrodeless discharge at atmospheric pressure

1999-03-24

2001-03-20

Shingleton, Michael B (Department: 2817)

Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems

Discharge device load with fluent material supply to the...

Plasma generating

C315S111210, C315S111710, C219S121520

Reexamination Certificate

active

06204605

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to discharge plasmas, particularly those at or about atmospheric pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Applying AC voltages to electrodes to ionize gases located between and within the vicinity of the electrodes to generate plasma discharges is well known. One drawback to such conventional electrode-based plasma generators is that the constituents in the plasma (e.g., free radicals) can interact with the electrodes themselves resulting in sputtering or etching of the electrode material, which can contaminate the plasma with impurities. Another disadvantage to such conventional plasma generators is that the plasmas are typically bound spatially by the electrodes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for generating a discharge plasma, at or near atmospheric pressure, wherein an AC voltage is applied to conducting loops wrapped around the outside of a non-conducting chamber to generate a discharge plasma inside the chamber. The conducting loops are separate and independent and thereby do not function as a conductor, as the discharge is capacitively coupled. In this way, the electrodes are sufficiently separated from the plasma constituents to prevent interaction with the electrode material and to avoid spatially inhibiting the plasma due to the electrodes.
In one embodiment, the invention is an apparatus for generating a discharge plasma, comprising (a) a chamber made of a non-conducting material; (b) two or more conducting loops wrapped around the outside of the chamber at different locations; (c) a voltage source configured to apply a voltage to the two or more conducting loops to generate a discharge plasma inside the chamber; and (d) a seed gas inlet connected to one end of the chamber through which a seed gas is injected into the chamber for igniting the plasma.
In another embodiment, the present invention is a method for generating a plasma, comprising the steps of (a) injecting a seed gas into a chamber made of a non-conducting material; and (b) applying a voltage to conducting loops wrapped around the outside of the chamber to ignite the seed gas to generate a discharge plasma inside the chamber, where the conducting loops are separate and independent and thereby do not function as a conductor, as the discharge is capacitively coupled.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4088926 (1978-05-01), Fletcher et al.
patent: 4551609 (1985-11-01), Falk
patent: 5003225 (1991-03-01), Dandl
patent: 5285046 (1994-02-01), Hansz
patent: 5680014 (1997-10-01), Miyamoto et al.

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