System and method for large scale atmospheric plasma generation
AssigneeHRL Laboratories, LLC
InventorsDaniel J. Gregoire, Kevin W. Kirby
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plasma generating system and a method of generating a plasma on a surface is provided. A surface-wave medium is laminated to a surface for propagating electromagnetic surface waves. The surface-wave medium includes a dielectric and a metallic pattern on the dielectric for increasing an inductive reactance of the surface-wave medium. The plasma generating surface further includes a microwave power source. A coupler couples the microwave power source to the surface-wave medium. A plurality of field enhancement points are located on the surface-wave medium. The plurality of field enhancement points include microwave resonant structures that couple to the electromagnetic surface waves.
Claims19
A method of generating a plasma on a surface, comprising:
- laminating a surface-wave medium to a surface for propagating electromagnetic surface waves, the surface-wave medium including a conductive ground plane on the surface, a dielectric on the conductive ground plane, and a metallic pattern on the dielectric for increasing an inductive reactance of the surface-wave medium;
- providing a microwave power source, the electromagnetic surface waves being microwave surface waves;
- coupling the microwave power source to the surface-wave medium with a coupler;
- and
- locating a plurality of field enhancement points on the surface-wave medium, the plurality of field enhancement points being comprised of microwave resonant structures that couple to the electromagnetic surface waves.
A plasma generating apparatus, comprising:
- a surface-wave medium laminated to a surface for propagating electromagnetic surface waves, the surface-wave medium including a dielectric and a metallic pattern on the dielectric for increasing an inductive reactance of the surface-wave medium;
- a plurality of field enhancement points on the surface-wave medium;
- a microwave power source;
- and
- a coupler coupling the microwave power source to the surface-wave medium.
A plasma generating apparatus, comprising:
- a surface-wave medium laminated to a surface for propagating electromagnetic surface waves, the surface-wave medium including a conductive ground plane on the surface, a dielectric on the conductive ground plane, and a metallic pattern on the dielectric for increasing an inductive reactance of the surface-wave medium;
- a plurality of field enhancement points on the surface-wave medium for creating a substantially surface-covering plasma layer that transforms fields of the electromagnetic surface waves into high-field regions that ionize surrounding air or a gaseous medium, the plurality of field enhancement points powered by the electromagnetic surface waves, the plurality of field enhancement points being comprised of microwave resonant structures that couple to the electromagnetic surface waves, the electromagnetic surface waves being microwave surface waves;
- a microwave power source;
- and
- a coupler coupling the microwave power source to the surface-wave medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.