Microplasma generation devices and associated systems and methods
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorLuis Fernando Velásquez-García
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Abstract
Microplasma generators and associated arrays and methods are described herein. Certain embodiments relate to a microplasma generator in which an elongated semiconductor structure can control electronic cun'ent supplied to a microplasma cavity. Plasmas can be created by supplying energy to a neutral gas so that free electrons and ions are created. In a thermal plasma, electrons, ions, and neutral atoms and/or molecules (referred to as “neutrals”) are in thermal equilibrium
Claims33
A microplasma generator, comprising:
- an elongated semiconductor structure comprising a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a microplasma cavity spatially defined by a structure comprising the elongated semiconductor structure and an electrode,
- wherein the microplasma generator is configured to generate a microplasma when a voltage is applied across the elongated semiconductor structure along the longitudinal axis of the structure.
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An array of microplasma generators, comprising:
- a plurality of elongated semiconductor structures comprising longitudinal axes;
- a plurality of microplasma cavities spatially defined by structures comprising the elongated semiconductor structures and first electrodes;
- and
- a plurality of gate electrodes adjacent to the elongated semiconductor structures and outside the microplasma cavities,
- wherein the array is configured such that, when a voltage above a threshold value is applied to the array, microplasma is generated within the microplasma cavities, and when a voltage is applied to the gate electrode, a saturation current of the elongated semiconductor structure is altered.
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A method of generating microplasma, comprising:
- applying a voltage along a longitudinal axis of an elongated semiconductor structure such that microplasma is generated within a microplasma cavity spatially defined by a structure comprising the elongated semiconductor structure and an electrode.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.