| abstract |
Disclosed is an apparatus for generating low-temp plasma at atmospheric pressure, comprising: a couple of electrodes facing each other at a distance, one of them being connected to a power supply, the other being grounded; a couple of dielectrics with a thickness of 25 μm-10 mm, positioned on the facing surfaces of the electrodes in such a way as to face each other, one of them having at least one discharge gap therein; and a conductor electrode having at least one tip positioned within the discharge gap, in which an electric field is applied at an intensity of 1-100 KV/cm through the power supply across the electrodes by use of a pulse direct current or an alternating current in a frequency bandwidth of 50 Hz-10 GHz while a reaction gas is fed between the electrodes, so as to induce a hollow cathode discharge, a capillary discharge or the high accumulation of charges from the discharge gap. With this structure, the apparatus prevents the conversion of the plasma to arcs and thus gives stable, low-temp plasma in a high density, and utilizes a broad bandwidth of frequencies in addition to being low in electricity consumption and being manufactured at a low cost. At low voltages, it can generate and maintain stable, low-temperature plasma over a large area. The plasma is suitable to form radicals of high energy and can be used for bonding, polishing, cleaning, thin films deposition, sterilization, ozone generation, printing, dyeing, etching, purification of water and air, complete combustion of fuels, manufacture of highly luminous lamps. |