Semiconductor micro-hollow cathode discharge device for plasma jet generation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10271415-B2
Application number	US-201615143517-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2016
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A micro-hollow cathode discharge device. The device includes a first electrode layer comprising a first electrode. A hole is disposed in the first electrode layer. The device also includes a dielectric layer having a first surface that is disposed on the first electrode layer. The hole continues from the first electrode layer through the dielectric layer. The device also includes a semi-conducting layer disposed on a second surface of the dielectric layer opposite the first surface. The semi-conducting layer is a semiconductor material that spans across the hole such that the hole terminates at the semi-conducting layer. The device also includes a second electrode layer disposed on the semi-conducting layer opposite the dielectric layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A micro-hollow cathode discharge device, comprising:
a first electrode layer comprising a first electrode, wherein a hole is disposed in the first electrode layer;
a dielectric layer having a first surface that is disposed on the first electrode layer, wherein the hole continues from the first electrode layer through the dielectric layer;
a semi-conducting layer disposed on a second surface of the dielectric layer opposite the first surface, the semi-conducting layer comprising a semiconductor material that spans across the hole such that the hole terminates at the semi-conducting layer; and
a second electrode layer disposed on the semi-conducting layer opposite the dielectric layer.

2. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 1 , wherein a combined thickness of the first electrode layer, the dielectric layer, the semi-conducting layer, and the second electrode layer is 1.5 millimeters.

3. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 2 , wherein the hole is 0.4 millimeters wide in a direction perpendicular to the combined thickness.

4. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 3 , wherein the micro-hollow cathode discharge device comprises a printed circuit board.

5. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 4 , wherein the hole comprises a vertical interconnect access hole about centered in the printed circuit board.

6. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises a toroidal electrode having a first area smaller than a second area of the first surface of the dielectric layer.

7. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 6 further comprising pads connected to the first electrode, the pads configured to receive electrical contacts.

8. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 1 , wherein the semi-conducting layer comprises carbon tape.

9. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 8 , wherein the carbon tape completely covers the second surface.

10. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 8 , wherein the carbon tape has a first area, the second electrode has a second area, and wherein the first area and the second area are both smaller than a third area of the second surface of the dielectric layer.

11. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 1 , wherein the hole is lined by a ceramic that is electrically insulating.

12. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 11 , wherein the ceramic comprises a machinable glass ceramic composed of fluorphlogopite mica in a borosilicate glass matrix.

13. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 1 further comprising:
a power supply attached to the first electrode and to the second electrode.

14. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 13 further comprising:
a pulse generator attached to the power supply and configured to generate a rectangular signal for power generated by the power supply.

15. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 14 further comprising:
a transformer connected to the power supply and configured to increase a voltage supplied to the first electrode and the second electrode.

16. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 15 further comprising a resistor connected in series with the power supply and the first electrode and second electrode and configured to reduce a current supplied to the first electrode and second electrode.

17. The micro-hollow cathode discharge device of claim 1 further comprising:
a camera disposed to take an image of the hole;
a spectrometer in communication with the camera; and
a computer in communication with the spectrometer, the computer configured to analyze spectra of the image taken using the camera when a plasma jet is emitted from the hole as a result of power being applied to the first electrode and the second electrode.

18. A method of generating a plasma jet from a micro-hollow cathode discharge device comprising a first electrode layer comprising a first electrode, wherein a hole is disposed in the first electrode layer; a dielectric layer having a first surface that is disposed on the first electrode layer, wherein the hole continues from the first electrode layer through the dielectric layer; a semi-conducting layer disposed on a second surface of the dielectric layer opposite the first surface, the semi-conducting layer comprising a semiconductor material that spans across the hole such that the hole terminates at the semi-conducting layer; and a second electrode layer disposed on the semi-conducting layer opposite the dielectric layer; the method comprising:
generating a plasma jet from the hole by applying a voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein generating the plasma jet comprises generating the plasma jet to be greater than 3 millimeters long.

20. A method of manufacturing a micro-hollow cathode discharge device, the method comprising:
manufacturing a dielectric layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
placing a first electrode layer comprising a first electrode onto the first surface, wherein a hole is disposed in the first electrode layer, wherein the hole continues from the first electrode layer through the dielectric layer;
placing a semi-conducting layer onto the second surface of the dielectric layer, the semi-conducting layer comprising a semiconductor material that spans across the hole such that the hole terminates at the semi-conducting layer; and
placing a second electrode layer onto the semi-conducting layer opposite the dielectric layer.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Nikic Dejan

Classifications

• H05H1/2406 Primary

  using dielectric barrier discharges, i.e. with a dielectric interposed between the electrodes · CPC title

• H05H2001/2412

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H05H1/24

  Generating plasma {(nuclear fusion reactors G21B1/00; gas-filled discharge reactors H01J37/32)} · CPC title

• H01J1/025 Primary

  Hollow cathodes · CPC title

• H01J61/72

  having a main light-emitting filling of easily vaporisable metal vapour, e.g. mercury · CPC title