In a method is provided for removing a material from a substrate, a plasma is generated at atmospheric pressure. The plasma includes an energetic species reactive with one or more components of the material. The plasma is flowed from an outlet as a plasma plume that includes periodic regions of high plasma density and low plasma density. The material is exposed to the plasma plume. At least one component of the material reacts with the energetic species, and at least one other component of the material is physically impacted and moved by one or more of the regions of high plasma density.

The invention relates to a device comprising an electroceramic component (1) having a first area (2) and a second area (3), a potting compound (11) at least partially surrounding the electroceramic component (1), and a sleeve-shaped housing (15) which at least partially surrounds the potting compound (11), the housing (15) having, in a first housing section (15a) which surrounds the potting compound (11) in the first area of the electroceramic component (1), a material wherein the thermal conductivity of said material is greater than the thermal conductivity of a material of the housing (15) in a second housing section (15b), and wherein the housing (15) in the second housing section (15b) surrounding the potting compound (11) in the second area of the electroceramic component (1) comprises a non-conductive material.

In an embodiment a process for producing ozone includes applying an input voltage to an input area of a piezoelectric transformer so that a high voltage is generated in an output area of the piezoelectric transformer, wherein the piezoelectric transformer is operated in a pulsed manner such that phases in which the input voltage is applied to the piezoelectric transformer and phases in which the input voltage is not applied to the piezoelectric transformer alternate at regular intervals and surrounding the piezoelectric transformer with an oxygenic process gas so that the ozone is formed from the process gas by the high voltage generated in the output area.

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.

In an embodiment an apparatus for generating ozone includes a piezoelectric transformer having an input area and an output area, wherein the input area is configured to convert an applied AC voltage into a mechanical vibration, and wherein the output area is configured to convert the mechanical vibration into an electrical voltage so that the ozone is generated by the electrical voltage of the output area.

A piezoelectric transformer is disclosed In an embodiment a piezoelectric transformer includes a cylindrical base body with an input region and an output region, wherein a cylinder axis of the base body extends in a longitudinal direction, wherein the input region is configured to convert an AC voltage into a mechanical vibration, wherein the output region is configured to convert a mechanical vibration into an electrical voltage, wherein the output region includes a single piezoelectric layer polarized in the longitudinal direction, wherein, in the input region, a first piezoelectric layer, on which a first internal electrode is arranged, and a second piezoelectric layer, on which a second internal electrode is arranged, are wound onto one another, and wherein the first piezoelectric layer and the second piezoelectric layer are polarized in a radial direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

An apparatus and a method for generating a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma are disclosed. In an embodiment, an apparatus for generating a non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma includes a first piezoelectric transformer, a second piezoelectric transformer, and a drive circuit configured to apply an input voltage to each of the piezoelectric transformers, and wherein the input voltage applied to the first transformer is phase-shifted by 90° in relation to the input voltage applied to the second transformer.

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.

In a method is provided for removing a material from a substrate, a plasma is generated at atmospheric pressure. The plasma includes an energetic species reactive with one or more components of the material. The plasma is flowed from an outlet as a plasma plume that includes periodic regions of high plasma density and low plasma density. The material is exposed to the plasma plume. At least one component of the material reacts with the energetic species, and at least one other component of the material is physically impacted and moved by one or more of the regions of high plasma density.

In a method is provided for removing a material from a substrate, a plasma is generated at atmospheric pressure. The plasma includes an energetic species reactive with one or more components of the material. The plasma is flowed from an outlet as a plasma plume that includes periodic regions of high plasma density and low plasma density. The material is exposed to the plasma plume. At least one component of the material reacts with the energetic species, and at least one other component of the material is physically impacted and moved by one or more of the regions of high plasma density.