RF-powered plasma accelerator/homogenizer
US6512333B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 14, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jan 28, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 14, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05H3/02
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The RF-powered plasma accelerator/homogenizer produces a quiescent plasma having a generally homogenous preselected plasma potential VPA and a space-charge neutralized plasma beam. The plasma accelerator/homogenizer includes an RF-conductive accelerator/homogenizer structure (17) having a plurality of dielectric-coated accelerator/homogenizer surfaces (619) with total surface area ARF and a containment assembly that includes an RF-grounded structure (112) with a total ground surface area AG, where ARF>AG. The accelerator/homogenizer structure is reactively coupled to an RF source using various approaches for direct or stray capacitive coupling (16). The RF voltage induced on the accelerator/homogenizer surfaces oscillates around a positive offset voltage determined by (ARF/AG)x, where x is not greater than 4, and causes the surfaces to absorb thermal electrons from the diffusing primary plasma, producing a homogenous quiescent plasma at preselected plasma potential VPA, which is approximately equal to the positive value of the offset RF voltage.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.