Electrosurgical apparatuses having bent tip applicators are provided. In one implementation, an electrosurgical apparatus includes an insulating outer tube having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end. An outer tube distal housing has its proximal end coupled to the distal end of the insulating outer tube. A distal end of the outer tube distal housing extends from the insulating outer tube at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis. The exemplary electrosurgical apparatus further includes an electrically conducting tube disposed within the insulating outer tube and moveable along the longitudinal axis of the insulating outer tube. An electrode is coupled to a distal end of the electrically conducting tube. The exemplary electrosurgical apparatus may include a knob coupled to the insulating outer tube to effect rotation of the outer tube distal housing in 360 degrees of rotation.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma generation device of the present invention includes heat sinks. Flow paths are formed in the heat sinks, and cooling gas flows in the flow paths, thereby cooling lower housing in which a reaction chamber is formed. Here, the gas used for cooling is warmed by the heat of the lower housing. The warmed gas is supplied into heated gas supply device and heated by heater. The heated gas flows in lower cover and is emitted together with plasma gas from lower cover toward a processing object. Consequently, it is possible to perform cooling of the lower housing heated by electric discharge and perform heating of the processing object, and it is possible to reduce energy required for heating gas.

A plasma processing apparatus including powered electrodes having elongated planar surfaces; grounded electrodes having elongated planar surfaces parallel to and coextensive with the elongated surfaces of the powered electrodes, and spaced-apart a chosen distance therefrom, forming plasma regions, is described. RF power is provided to the at least one powered electrode, both powered and grounded electrodes may be cooled, and a plasma gas is flowed through the plasma regions at atmospheric pressure; whereby a plasma is formed in the plasma regions. The material to be processed may be moved into close proximity to the exit of the plasma gas from the plasma regions perpendicular to the gas flow, and perpendicular to the elongated electrode dimensions, whereby excited species generated in the plasma exit the plasma regions and impinge unimpeded onto the material.

A system for plasma ignition and maintenance of an atmospheric pressure plasma. The system has a variable frequency alternating current (AC) power source, a transformer, a cable connected to a secondary winding of the transformer, a programmed microprocessor for control of power to the atmospheric pressure plasma. The microprocessor is configured to a) at pre-ignition, power the AC power source at an operational frequency f.sub.op higher than the resonant frequency f.sub.r, b) decrease the operational frequency f.sub.op of the AC power source until there is plasma ignition, and c) after the plasma ignition, further decrease the operational frequency f.sub.op of the AC power source to a frequency lower than the resonant frequency f.sub.r.

In an embodiment a device includes a first housing in which a piezoelectric transformer is arranged and a second housing in which a control circuit is arranged, the control circuit configured to apply an input voltage to the piezoelectric transformer, wherein the piezoelectric transformer is configured to ionize a process medium, and wherein the device is configured to provide a circulating air operation so that the process medium is guided from the piezoelectric transformer through a catalytic converter and then back to the piezoelectric transformer and generate a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma.

A sterilization system having a controllable non-ionizing microwave radiation source for providing microwave energy for combining with a gas to produce atmospheric low temperature plasma for sterilizing biological tissue surfaces or the like. A plasma generating region may be contained in a hand held plasma applicator. The system may include an impedance adjustor e.g. integrated in the plasma applicator arranged to set a plasma strike condition and plasma sustain condition. The gas and microwave energy may be transported to a plasma generating region along an integrated cable assembly. The Integrated cable assembly may provide a two way gas flow arrangement to permit residual gas to be removed from the surface. Invasive surface plasma treatment is therefore possible. The plasma applicator may have multiple plasma emitters to produce a line or blanket of plasma.

A device for producing a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma and an active space including such a device are disclosed. In an embodiment a device includes a first housing, in which a piezoelectric transformer is arranged and a second housing, in which a control circuit is arranged, the control circuit configured to apply an input voltage to the piezoelectric transformer, wherein the first housing comprises a coating configured to eradicate irritant gases.

A system for determining an operational state of an atmospheric pressure plasma. The system has a transformer for coupling power into the atmospheric pressure plasma, a current sampling circuit configured to sample at least one current pulse flowing through a primary winding of the transformer, and a programmed microprocessor configured to determine, from a waveform of the current pulse, the operational state of the atmospheric pressure plasma. The operational state is one of: a no plasma state, a plasma origination state indicative of an ignited arc expanding into a plasma by gas flow thereinto, and a plasma maintenance state indicative of the plasma being expanded.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma generation device 10 of the present invention includes heat sinks 27 and 28. Flow paths are formed in the heat sinks, and cooling gas flows in the flow paths, thereby cooling lower housing 20 in which a reaction chamber is formed. Here, the gas used for cooling is warmed by the heat of the lower housing. The warmed gas is supplied into heated gas supply device 14 and heated by heater 112. The heated gas flows in lower cover 22 and is emitted together with plasma gas from lower cover 22 toward a processing object. Consequently, it is possible to perform cooling of the lower housing heated by electric discharge and perform heating of the processing object, and it is possible to reduce energy required for heating gas.

A modular plasma jet treatment system comprising a plasma source with a high-voltage module comprising a high-voltage electrode and first connection means, as well as a plasma jet applicator wherein the plasma jet applicator comprises a cavity for a process gas, wherein a ceiling portion of the cavity is either arranged on the plasma jet applicator and/or on the high-voltage module, the cavity comprising a process gas inlet and at least one plasma jet outlet, wherein the plasma jet applicator comprises a second connection means, such that the plasma jet applicator and the high-voltage module are repeatedly connectable and releasable, wherein, when the plasma jet applicator is connected to the high-voltage module, the cavity is adjacently arranged with the ceiling portion at the high-voltage module, and wherein the cavity is separated by a dielectric from the high-voltage electrode of the high-voltage module.