Plasma cell voltage control circuit

Claim 2

A discharge control circuit for use with a plasma gas cell of the type having a pair of insulated electrodes positioned within the cell comprising in combination: a source of voltage pulses; means for connecting said voltage pulses across said pair of electrodes in a reversing cycle; and means for varying the pulse width of said pulses between different finite increments so as to vary the magnitude of the wall charge formed within said cell to thereby control the plasma discharge between said pair of insulated electrodes.

Claim 3

A discharge control circuit for use with a plasma gas cell of the type having a pair of electrode means conductively isolated from the plasma gas, comprising in combination: means for providing pulsed signals; means for varying between different finite increments of the effective width of said pulsed signals so as to control the magnitude of the wall charges formed in said cell; and means for applying said pulsed signals to said pair of electrode means.

Claim 4

A discharge control circuit for use with a plasma gas cell of the type having a pair of electrode means conductively isolated from the plasma gas, comprising in combination: means for providing pulsed signals; means for varying between different finite increments of the effective width of said pulsed signals so as to control the magnitude of the wall charges formed in said cell; and means for applying said pulsed signals to said pair of electrode means.

Claim 5

A discharge control circuit for use with a plasma gas cell of the type having at least a pair of insulated electrode means conductively isolated from the plasma gas, comprising in combination: a variable pulse width signal source; means for applying pulsed signals from said source across pairs of said electrode means; and means connected to said signal source for varying the width of the pulsed signals from said source between different finite increments so as to control the magnitude of the wall charge developed in said cell.

Claim 6

A discharge control circuit for use with a plasma gas cell of the type having at least a pair of insulated electrode means conductively isolated from the plasma gas, comprising in combination: a variable pulse width signal source; means for applying pulsed signals from said source across pairs of said electrode means; and means connected to said signal source for varying the width of the pulsed signals from said source between different finite increments so as to control the magnitude of the wall charge developed in said cell.

Claim 7

A circuit for controlling the occurrence of a discharge in a plasma gas cell of the type having insulated electrodes positioned within the cell, comprising in combination: a source ov voltage pulses; means for alternately applying said voltage pulses across said electrodes; and means for varying individually the pulse width of said voltage pulses applied alternately to said electrodes between different finite increments so as to control the magnitude of the wall charge formed within said cell, thereby controlling the occurrence of a plasma discharge.

Claim 8

A circuit for controlling the occurrence of a discharge in a plasma gas cell of the type having insulated electrodes positioned within the cell, comprising in combination: a source ov voltage pulses; means for alternately applying said voltage pulses across said electrodes; and means for varying individually the pulse width of said voltage pulses applied alternately to said electrodes between different finite increments so as to control the magnitude of the wall charge formed within said cell, thereby controlling the occurrence of a plasma discharge.

Claim 9

In combination: a plasma gas cell; a common electrode positioned in proximity to the plasma gas of said cell; a plurality of independent electrodes positioned in proximity to the plasma gas of said cell and opposing said common electrode; keep-alive means for maintaining a plasma discharge in at least one area of said plasma gas cell; a variable pulse width signal source; a plurality of switch means for independently connecting the pulsed signals from said source to said plurality of independent electrodes; means for delaying the pulsed signals from said source; means for applying the delayed pulsed signals from said source to said common electrode; and means for selectively varying the pulse width of the pulse signals from said signal source so as to control the magnitude of the wall charge developed in said cell between the selected electrodes and said common electrode.

Claim 10

In combination: a plasma gas cell; a common electrode positioned in proximity to the plasma gas of said cell; a plurality of independent electrodes positioned in proximity to the plasma gas of said cell and opposing said common electrode; keep-alive means for maintaining a plasma discharge in at least one area of said plasma gas cell; a variable pulse width signal source; a plurality of switch means for independently connecting the pulsed signals from said source to said plurality of independent electrodes; means for delaying the pulsed signals from said source; means for applying the delayed pulsed signals from said source to said common electrode; and means for selectively varying the pulse width of the pulse signals from said signal source so as to control the magnitude of the wall charge developed in said cell between the selected electrodes and said common electrode.

Claim 11

In combination: a plasma gas cell; a common electrode positioned in proximity to the plasma gas of said cell; a plurality of independent electrodes positioned in proximity to the plasma gas of said cell and opposing said common electrode; keep-alive means for maintaining a plasma discharge in at least one area of said plasma gas cell; a source of pulsed signals; means for delaying said pulsed signals for time periods corresponding to the widths of said pulsed signals; a plurality of gate means for receiving said undelayed pulsed signals and for applying said signals to said plurality of independent electrodes; a plurality of independent switch means for connecting a delayed pulse signal to an input of said gate means so as to cause a pulse signal of increased width to be applied to selected independent electrodes; gate means for receiving at leAst two additionally delayed pulsed signals from said delay means and for feeding the combined signal to said common electrode; and switch means interposed in the path between one of said additional delayed pulsed signals and said gate means for discontinuing the application of one of the delayed pulsed signals to said common electrode so as to cause an erasure of discharges between said independent electrodes and said common electrodes when said independent switch means are not connecting a delayed pulse to a gate means.

Claim 12

In combination: a plasma gas cell; a common electrode positioned in proximity to the plasma gas of said cell; a plurality of independent electrodes positioned in proximity to the plasma gas of said cell and opposing said common electrode; keep-alive means for maintaining a plasma discharge in at least one area of said plasma gas cell; a source of pulsed signals; means for delaying said pulsed signals for time periods corresponding to the widths of said pulsed signals; a plurality of gate means for receiving said undelayed pulsed signals and for applying said signals to said plurality of independent electrodes; a plurality of independent switch means for connecting a delayed pulse signal to an input of said gate means so as to cause a pulse signal of increased width to be applied to selected independent electrodes; gate means for receiving at leAst two additionally delayed pulsed signals from said delay means and for feeding the combined signal to said common electrode; and switch means interposed in the path between one of said additional delayed pulsed signals and said gate means for discontinuing the application of one of the delayed pulsed signals to said common electrode so as to cause an erasure of discharges between said independent electrodes and said common electrodes when said independent switch means are not connecting a delayed pulse to a gate means.

Claim 13

A discharge control circuit for use with a plasma gas cell of the type having at least a pair of insulated electrode means conductively isolated from the plasma gas, comprising in combination: a variable pulse width signal source; means for applying pulsed signals from said source across pairs of said electrode means; a plurality of delay means for receiving said pulsed signals and for delaying said pulsed signals for time periods corresponding to the width of said pulsed signals; and means for combining selected delayed pulsed signals with the provided pulsed signals to form a composite pulsed signal having the desired pulse width.

Claim 14

A discharge control circuit for use with a plasma gas cell of the type having at least a pair of insulated electrode means conductively isolated from the plasma gas, comprising in combination: a variable pulse width signal source; means for applying pulsed signals from said source across pairs of said electrode means; a plurality of delay means for receiving said pulsed signals and for delaying said pulsed signals for time periods corresponding to the width of said pulsed signals; and means for combining selected delayed pulsed signals with the provided pulsed signals to form a composite pulsed signal having the desired pulse width.