| 摘要 |
Apparatus for generating plasma comprises a housing (1, 2; 152, 180) having a chamber (6; 180) for containing a gas and two electrodes between which a first dielectric member (1; 180) and at least part of the chamber are interposed. An electrical radio frequency (RF) input is fed to the chamber so that there is created in the chamber an electromagnetic wave which gives rise to a sufficient potential difference between the electrodes to ionise the gas in the chamber. The housing also includes matching means (30; 150) for tuning the chamber so that the resonant frequency of the electromagnetic wave is substantially the same as the frequency or fundamental frequency of the RF input. The matching means may comprise a further dielectric situated upstream of the chamber or an inductor coil. There is also provided a method of processing a gas, in which method the gas is introduced into the chamber of a housing, and an electrical RF potential is supplied, through coupling means, to the chamber so as to give rise to sufficiently high potential difference between the electrodes to ionise the gas and thereby at least initiate the conditions necessary for the gas to undergo a chemical reaction. That ionisation leads to a train of micro-discharges between the electrodes. |
