Pulsed dielectric barrier discharge

US8084947B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER FZC · US

Inventors

• William M. Hooke · Princeton, US
• Allen Richard Martin · Sanford, US
• Mark Alan Ray · Cary, US
• Gary Elder McGuire · Chapel Hill, US
• Brian D. Schultz · Lexington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 24, 2009
• Grant date: Dec 27, 2011
• Expiry date: Dec 25, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05H2242/24
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of generating a glow discharge plasma involves providing a pair of electrodes spaced apart by an electrode gap, and having a dielectric disposed in the electrode gap between the electrodes; placing the electrodes within an environment, wherein the electrode gap can be provided with a gas or gas mixture containing carbon at a specified pressure; and applying a rapid rise time voltage pulse across the electrodes to cause an extreme overvoltage condition, wherein the rapid rise time is less than a plasma generation time so that the extreme overvoltage condition occurs prior to current flow across the electrode gap. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.