System, method and apparatus for generating plasma

A plasma generating system, comprising:

• a plasma generation device, including:
• a housing including a passage defined therein configured to direct a flow of an ionizable gas therethrough;
• an electrode in communication with the ionizable gas flowing through the passage of the housing;
• and
• a resonant circuit including a capacitor and an inductor connected together in series, the resonant circuit having a resonance frequency and electrically coupled to the electrode;
• a source of ionizable gas in fluid communication with the housing;
• and
• a driver network configured to generate an AC signal having an excitation frequency substantially matching the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, wherein the driver network provides the AC signal to excite the ionizable gas flowing through the passage of the housing to a plasma.

A method of generating plasma, comprising:

• providing a fluid path for directing a flow of an ionizable gas;
• providing a resonant circuit including a capacitor and an inductor connected together in series, the resonant circuit having a resonance frequency, wherein the resonant circuit is coupled to a driver network configured to supply an AC signal thereto;
• determining an excitation frequency of the AC signal to substantially match the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit;
• and
• applying the AC signal to the resonant circuit thereby exciting the ionizable gas to form a plasma.