A method for generating atmospheric pressure cold plasma inside a hand-held unit discharges cold plasma with simultaneously different rf wavelengths and their harmonics. The unit includes an rf tuning network that is powered by a low-voltage power supply connected to a series of high-voltage coils and capacitors. The rf energy signal is transferred to a primary containment chamber and dispersed through an electrode plate network of various sizes and thicknesses to create multiple frequencies. Helium gas is introduced into the first primary containment chamber, where electron separation is initiated. The energized gas flows into a secondary magnetic compression chamber, where a balanced frequency network grid with capacitance creates the final electron separation, which is inverted magnetically and exits through an orifice with a nozzle. The cold plasma thus generated has been shown to be capable of accelerating a healing process in flesh wounds on animal laboratory specimens.

An AC power supply drives and controls an array of non-thermal plasma emitters at desired frequencies at a controlled power level. The power supply comprises a step-up transformer, a balanced driver, and a controller. The transformer operates at the resonant frequency of the combined capacitance of the array and the cable connecting the array to the power supply. The power into the array is monitored by the controller and can be adjusted by the user. The balanced driver may be driven directly by the controller. The controller monitors the phase relationship between the transformer primary winding voltage and the gate drive voltage, and adjusts the drive frequency to resonance. Alternatively the balanced driver is configured as an oscillator which drives the transformer at resonance by default. A signal from the transformer driver generates an interrupt to the controller for synchronizing current and voltage measurements for power control.

A method and device to apply a cold plasma to a substance at a treatment surface of a patient to cause electroporation of the substance into cells of the patient. The substance can be previously applied to the treatment surface. Alternatively, the substance can be placed in a foam-like material within a tip that passes the cold plasma from the cold plasma device to the treatment area. The tip can be a cannula device with an aperture at the distal end. The cannula device can also have apertures along a portion of the length of the cannula device.

A cold plasma jet hand sanitizer and method of use are provided. A pair of opposing two-dimensional arrays of atmospheric pressure cold plasma jets is used to create a sterilizing volume. Any object placed into that volume will have its surface sterilized. The opposing arrays of plasma jets are operated electrically 180 degrees out of phase so that the opposing arrays of plasma jets essentially fire into each other in the absence of an intervening object, or directly impinge on the surface of an intervening object.

This invention relates to methods and systems for reducing the concentration of SOx and/or NOx in gas streams.

A plurality of non-thermal plasma emitters is disposed on a rigid or flexible substrate. The rigid substrate enables the device to be pre-formed in any shape and the flexible substrate enables the device to conform to any surface topography at the time of treatment. The substrate is a dielectric material and in a preferred embodiment is made of thin FR-4. Each of the plasma emitters has a drive electrode on one side of the substrate and a ground electrode on the opposing side of the substrate. In the preferred embodiment both electrodes are centered over a through-hole in the substrate. A conductive drive track is connected to each drive electrode and a conductive ground track is connected to each ground electrode. A drive terminal is connected to the drive track and a ground terminal is connected to the ground track.

A compact cold plasma device for generating cold plasma having temperatures in the range 65 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The compact cold plasma device has a magnet-free configuration and an induction-grid-free configuration. An additional configuration uses an induction grid in place of the input electrode to generate the cold plasma. A high voltage power supply is provided that includes a controllable switch to release energy from a capacitor bank to a dual resonance RF transformer. A controller adjusts the energy input to the capacitor bank, as well as the trigger to the controllable switch.

A cold plasma treatment device for delivery of a cold plasma to patient treatment area. Gas is fed to a gas compartment where it is energized by an electrode coupled to a pulse source to thereby generate a cold plasma. A dielectric barrier is sandwiched between the gas compartment and the electrode to form a dielectric barrier discharge device. The cold plasma exits the gas compartment via a bottom member having a plurality of holes. Gases that can be used include noble gases such as helium or combinations of noble gases.

Methods and apparatus are described that use an array of light sources that project converging light beams to control treatment distance. This approach controls treatment distance without contacting the patient or increasing the risk of pathogenic contamination. The approach can be used to control an optimal distance, and is compatible with various medical treatment devices including cold plasma treatment devices.

A plasina-generation device for applying plasma to a human body, having a reservoir containing a gas, a plasma zone in fluid connection with the reservoir, and means for generating a plasma by electrical discharge in the plasma zone. The gas has a composition of 92% to 99.5% Helium and 0.5% to 8% Argon; or 95% to 99.5% Helium and 1% to 20% Neon; or 99.95% to 99.99% Helium and 0.01% to 0.05% Oxygen.