Method and system for generating plasma in an atmosphere

• US 10,117,319 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reginald J. Exton
• Original Assignee: Reginald J. Exton
• Inventors: Exton, Reginald J
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIET TUAN
• Application Number:
  US15/331,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20180263103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 2505031, 2504941, 2504931
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2230/12 by using electromagnetic tiles, fluid ionizers, static charges or plasma
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 23/005 by other means not covered by groups B64C23/02 - B64C23/08, e.g. by electric charges, magnetic panels, piezoelectric elements, static charges or ultrasounds
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 23/04 by generating shock waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1625 titanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1636 Al2O3 (Sapphire)
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/461 Microwave discharges

Abstract

A method is provided for generating a region of plasma in a gaseous atmosphere that includes argon. A laser beam from a Ti:sapphire laser is directed into the gaseous atmosphere such that a portion of the argon along the laser beam is ionized. Microwave energy is directed into the ionized region of the laser beam to generate a plasma.

Claims

1. A method for generating a region of plasma in an atmosphere, comprising the steps of:

providing a gaseous atmosphere having argon as a constituent thereof;

directing a laser beam from a Ti;

sapphire laser into the gaseous atmosphere wherein at least a portion of the argon in the gaseous atmosphere along the laser beam is ionized; and

focusing microwave energy into the laser beam wherein the microwave energy interacts with the laser beam to generate a region of plasma.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the microwave energy comprises at least one pulse thereof.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the microwave energy comprises a plurality of time-separated pulses of microwave energy having a repetition rate.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam is directed along a straight beam path.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the microwave energy propagates along at least one path at a non-zero angle relative to a beam path of the laser beam.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the microwave energy comprises microwaves selected from the group consisting of L-band microwaves, X-band microwaves, and Ku-band microwaves.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam has a wavelength of 261.27 nanometers.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam is focused at a focal region and the microwave energy is focused at the focal region.

9. A method for generating a region of plasma in an atmosphere, comprising the steps of:

providing a gaseous atmosphere having argon as a constituent thereof;

directing a laser beam along a straight beam path into the gaseous atmosphere, the laser beam being generated by a Ti;

sapphire laser tuned to implement a [3R+1] process, the laser beam having a wavelength of 261.27 nanometers, wherein at least a portion of the argon in the gaseous atmosphere is ionized to liberate free electrons of argon along the laser beam; and

focusing microwave energy into the laser beam wherein the microwave energy interacts with the free electrons of argon to generate a region of plasma.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the microwave energy comprises at least one pulse thereof.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the microwave energy comprises a plurality of time-separated pulses of microwave energy having a repetition rate.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the microwave energy propagates along at least one path at a non-zero angle relative to the straight beam path of the laser beam.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the microwave energy comprises microwaves selected from the group consisting of L-band microwaves, X-band microwaves, and Ku-band microwaves.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the laser beam is focused at a focal region and the microwave energy is focused at the focal region.

15. A method for generating a region of plasma in air, comprising the steps of:

directing a laser beam from a Ti;

sapphire laser along a beam path and into a region of air having argon as a constituent thereof, wherein free electrons of argon are generated along the beam path; and

focusing microwave energy into at least one region of the laser beam wherein the microwave energy is absorbed by the free electrons of argon in the at least one region of the laser beam to generate a region of plasma.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the microwave energy comprises at least one pulse thereof.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the microwave energy comprises a plurality of time-separated pulses of microwave energy having a repetition rate.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the beam path is straight.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein the microwave energy propagates at a non-zero angle relative to the beam path.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein the microwave energy comprises microwaves selected from the group consisting of L-band microwaves, X-band microwaves, and Ku-band microwaves.

21. A method according to claim 15, wherein the laser beam has a wavelength of 261.27 nanometers.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of tuning the Ti:

sapphire laser to implement a [3R+1] process.

23. A method according to claim 15, wherein the laser beam is focused at a focal region and the microwave energy is focused at the focal region.