Inductively-driven plasma light source
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A light source comprising:
- a chamber having a plasma discharge region and containing an ionizable medium;
a magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the plasma discharge region; and
a pulse power system for providing at least one pulse of energy to the magnetic core for delivering power to a plasma formed in the plasma discharge region that forms the secondary of a transformer according to Faraday'"'"'s law of induction, wherein the plasma has a localized high intensity zone.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for producing light includes a chamber that has a plasma discharge region and that contains an ionizable medium. The apparatus also includes a magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the plasma discharge region. The apparatus also includes a pulse power system for providing at least one pulse of energy to the magnetic core for delivering power to a plasma formed in the plasma discharge region. The plasma has a localized high intensity zone.
94 Citations
51 Claims
-
1. A light source comprising:
-
a chamber having a plasma discharge region and containing an ionizable medium; a magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the plasma discharge region; and a pulse power system for providing at least one pulse of energy to the magnetic core for delivering power to a plasma formed in the plasma discharge region that forms the secondary of a transformer according to Faraday'"'"'s law of induction, wherein the plasma has a localized high intensity zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A light source comprising:
-
a chamber having a plasma discharge region and containing an ionizable medium; a transformer comprising a first magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the plasma discharge region; a second magnetic core linked with the first magnetic core by a current; and a power supply for providing a first signal to the second magnetic core, wherein the second magnetic core provides a second signal to the first magnetic core when the second magnetic core saturates, and wherein the first magnetic core delivers power to a plasma formed in the plasma discharge region from the ionizable medium in response to the second signal and wherein the plasma forms the secondary of a transformer according to Faraday'"'"'s law of induction. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
-
-
46. A light source comprising:
-
a chamber having a channel region and containing an ionizable medium; a magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the channel region; and a pulse power system for providing at least one pulse of energy to the magnetic core for exciting the ionizable medium to form at least essentially a Z-pinch in a plasma in the channel region that forms the secondary of a transformer according to Faraday'"'"'s law of induction. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
-
-
49. A light source comprising:
-
a chamber containing a light emitting plasma with a localized high intensity zone that emits a substantial portion of the emitted light; a magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the light emitting plasma; and a pulse power system for providing at least one pulse of energy to the magnetic core for delivering power to the plasma that forms the secondary of a transformer according to Faraday'"'"'s law of induction.
-
-
50. A light source comprising:
-
a chamber having a plasma discharge region and containing an ionizable medium; a magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the plasma discharge region; and a means for providing at least one pulse of energy to the magnetic core for delivering power to a plasma formed in the plasma discharge region that forms the secondary of a transformer according to Faraday'"'"'s law of induction, wherein the plasma has a localized high intensity zone.
-
-
51. A plasma source comprising:
-
a chamber having a plasma discharge region and containing an ionizable medium; a magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the plasma discharge region and induces an electric current in the plasma sufficient to form a Z-pinch, wherein the plasma forms the secondary of a transformer.
-
Specification