System and method for generating a discharge in high pressure gases
AssigneeAdvanced Lighting Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJu Gao, Joseph T. Verdeyen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of generating an electrical discharge in a high pressure gas contained in a sealed enclosure. The method includes driving a helical coil resonator at an RF frequency to generate an RF electric-magnetic field sufficient to generate an electrical discharge in the high pressure gas. The electrical discharge produces an emission spectrum that may be spectroscopically analyzed to determine the composition and impurity content of the gas.
Claims15
A method of generating an electrical discharge in a gas sealed within an enclosure having a dielectric wall, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a gas-containing enclosure having a dielectric wall;
- providing a helical coil resonator comprising a housing and a helical coil forming an electrode at one end positioned within the housing, the resonator being separate from the gas-containing enclosure;
- positioning the electrode of the helical coil resonator in proximity to the dielectric wall of the gas-containing enclosure;
- and
- driving the helical coil resonator at an RF frequency to thereby generate an RF electric-magnetic field sufficient to generate an electrical discharge in the gas contained within the enclosure.
A system comprising:
- a dielectric enclosure containing a gas;
- an RF generator for generating an RF field sufficient to effect a discharge in said gas, said generator being separate from the dielectric enclosure and comprising:
- an RF power source;
- and
- a helical coil resonator, said resonator comprising a housing and a wire forming a helically coiled portion positioned within said housing and an electrode, said wire being connected to said RF power source, said electrode being in sufficient proximity to said dielectric enclosure to establish a discharge in said gas.
A device for generating an electrical discharge in a gas sealed within a separate enclosure having a dielectric wall, said device comprising:
- an electrically conducting shield having a generally cylindrical wall;
- an electrically conducing wire forming a helix axially positioned within said wall, said wire forming an electrode at one end and having an RF power receiving tap near the other end;
- and
- an RF power source connected to said tap and providing RF power to generate an RF field at the electrode having sufficient strength to penetrate the dielectric wall of the separate enclosure to thereby effect a discharge in the gas sealed within the enclosure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.