Apparatus for controlling the flow of high energy electrical pulses to a load using a switch having a plasma cathode which has rapid start up capability and requires no heater power.

A plasma generator comprises a metallic tube of small diameter inside which can circulate a gas such as argon at a small flow rate, which is discharged at the front end of the tube. The tube is coupled with an energizing structure which can comprise a frequency generator supplying electromagnetic microwaves, via a coaxial connection, a coupling structure allowing the transfer of the energy of the generator to the front portion of the metallic tube. In the absence of a gas current in the tube, th...

A plasma generator utilizing two magnetrons preferably acting out of phase with each other and each comprising one part of the other magnetic mirror. There may be included a thermal fragmenter to produce gas atoms directly into the plasma for ionization before being drawn onto a substrate. The use of a thermal fragmenter separate from the magnetrons produces ionized atoms directly where they are needed and allows quicker changeover to alternative atoms for multilayer coating.

A plasma freezer for use in cryoprecipitation of antihemophilic factor from whole blood. Freezing and thawing tanks may be filled with novel cassettes containing plasma filled bags, while the associated red blood cells which have been separated by centrifuging are held at a uniform temperature to prevent deterioration.

A three-part front-end assembly for a plasma arc cutting torch utilizing a single inlet gas is disclosed. The front-end assembly includes (1) an electrode having an integral, hollow, elongated, interior cooling tube, (2) a tip element with integral swirl ring, and (3) a nozzle. The electrode having an integral, hollow, interior cooling tube stacks upon and nests in the tip element with integral swirl ring. Both of these elements then nest in the nozzle forming the stack configuration of this thr...

A plasma processor wherein a substrate is processed using a plasma in a reaction gas generated through electron cyclotron resonance includes a magnetostatic field generator for generating a magnetostatic field, an electric field generator for generating an r.f. electric field perpendicular to the magnetostatic field, and a moving magnetic field generator for generating a moving magnetic field which intersects the magnetostatic field between the magnetostatic field generator and the substrate.

A plasma reactor includes a chamber, a specimen such as a wafer or the like supported in the chamber, a device for generating a plasma in the chamber, and at least one electromagnetic coil disposed coaxially around the chamber. The specimen is supported parallel to a magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil. High-density and high-energy charged particles in the plasma collide perpendicularly with the surface of the specimen to treat the specimen by way of etching or the like.

A plasma torch provided with a cathode-supporting structure having a recess formed at one end thereof opposed to a nozzle, said recess having its bottom surface carrying a cathode tip attached thereto and having its peripheral surface formed with shielding gas injection holes opening into said recess tangentially to the periphery thereof, wherein said shielding gas injection holes are located at a distance from the electron emission surface of said cathode tip and the diameter of said recess at ...

A plasma generator according to the invention comprises a chamber (2) at a first potential (V1) filled with a gas at a low pressure and a transparent electrode surface comprised of wires, grid or perforated plate (3) at a second potential (V2) higher than (V1). Thus, an electron (4) present in the chamber will be oscillating on both sides of the transparent electrode surface (3) for providing secondary electrons (11 and 12) which create in turn other secondary electrons (13-14, 15-16). At each o...

A method for more selectively removing macromolecules from a plasma solution, whereby plasma containing the macromolecules to be removed is provided and heated to a temperature near or above normal body temperature but below the boiling point of the plasma solution. The heated plasma solution is filtered while at a temperature near or above normal body temperature but below its boiling point with a membrane filter to remove selectively macromolecules from the plasma solution. An apparatus for ac...