The present disclosure relates to an elementary device for producing a plasma. The elementary device includes a coaxial applicator of microwave power that includes a conductive central core, a conductive external shield surrounding the central core, a medium located between the central core and the shield to propagate microwave energy, and an insulating body. The elementary device further includes a system to couple to a microwave generator and is disposed at the shield. The shield has a proximal end plugged with the insulating body made of dielectric material that is transparent to the microwave energy. The insulating body has an external surface configured to contact and excite a gas located in the interior of a chamber. The insulating body extends exterior wise from the shield and its external surface is nonplanar and protrudes from the shield. The outside diameter of the body decreases from the shield to its tip.

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.

Apparatus for plasma synthesis of carbon nanotubes, comprising: a plasma nozzle coupled to a reaction tube or chamber; means for supplying a process gas to the plasma nozzle, the process gas comprising a carbon-containing species; means for supplying radio frequency radiation to the process gas within the plasma nozzle, so as to sustain a plasma within the nozzle in use, and thereby cause cracking of the carbon-containing species; and means for providing a catalyst; wherein the plasma nozzle is arranged such that an afterglow of the plasma extends into the reaction tube/chamber, the cracked carbon-containing species also pass into the reaction tube/chamber, and the cracked carbon-containing species recombine within the afterglow, so as to form carbon nanotubes in the presence of the catalyst. A method of plasma-synthesising carbon nanotubes is also provided.

A device for producing an amorphous carbon layer by electron cyclotron resonance plasma, the device including a plasma chamber; a gas supply; a magnetic mirror; a waveguide extending along a reference axis; a system for injecting microwave power; a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field in the plasma chamber, the magnetic field generator being configured to create a beam of magnetic field lines along which plasma is diffused; a target made from carbon; a substrate holder, wherein the target is arranged at a distance from the reference axis of between R.sub.target/2 and R.sub.target, and wherein the device further includes a screen arranged between the waveguide and the substrate holder.

The present disclosure relates to a cold plasma generating apparatus that can efficiently ignite (initially discharge) cold plasma and easily match common impedance and that is optimized for use in applications related to sterilization because it can uniformly distribute power to multiple plasma sources through a single power supply in a multi-plasma array configuration and increase effective plasma volume, and a multi-cold plasma array apparatus comprising the same.

The invention includes a gas processing system for transforming a hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into outflow gas products, where the system includes a gas delivery subsystem, a plasma reaction chamber, and a microwave subsystem, with the gas delivery subsystem in fluid communication with the plasma reaction chamber, so that the gas delivery subsystem directs the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the plasma reaction chamber, and the microwave subsystem directs microwave energy into the plasma reaction chamber to energize the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma reaction chamber, which plasma effects the transformation of a hydrocarbon in the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the outflow gas products, which comprise acetylene and hydrogen. The invention also includes methods for the use of this gas processing system.

A membrane plate assembly is disclosed for use with a cold atmospheric plasma applicator to expose a medium to plasma beams from the plasma applicator. The membrane plate assembly includes a membrane plate stack configured to receive the plasma beams from the plasma applicator. The membrane plate stack includes a plurality of membrane-covered structures facing each other in a generally parallel arrangement and being spaced apart to define a channel therebetween through which the plasma beams are directed. Each membrane-covered structure includes a structure and a membrane covering outer surfaces of the structure with a gap therebetween through which the medium is flowed.

A high temperature plasma generating system has a ceramic magnetron insulator joined to a frustoconical waveguide reflector. A cavity magnetron tube is joined to the frustoconical waveguide reflector. An antenna is set in the cavity magnetron tube and extending through the ceramic magnetron insulator. Applying an electrical current to the magnetron creates multipactor in the frustoconical waveguide reflector generating plasma focused at the tip of the magnetron antenna.

Conversion of heavy fossil hydrocarbons (HFH) to a variety of value-added chemicals and/or fuels can be enhanced using microwave (MW) and/or radio-frequency (RF) energy. Variations of reactants, process parameters, and reactor design can significantly influence the relative distribution of chemicals and fuels generated as the product. In one example, a system for flash microwave conversion of HFH includes a source concentrating microwave or RF energy in a reaction zone having a pressure greater than 0.9 atm, a continuous feed having HFH and a process gas passing through the reaction zone, a HFH-to-liquids catalyst contacting the HFH in at least the reaction zone, and dielectric discharges within the reaction zone. The HFH and the catalyst have a residence time in the reaction zone of less than 30 seconds. In some instances, a plasma can form in or near the reaction zone.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing packaging including a container. The method includes: an operation of forming the container via blow molding or stretch blow molding from a plastics preform, an operation of treating an inner surface of the container, during which a thin barrier layer is formed on the inner surface via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition; an operation of printing on an outer surface of the container, during which ink is deposited on the outer surface to form a decorative and/or informative inscription thereon.