Cold plasma treatment devices and associated methods
A cold plasma treatment device for delivery of a cold plasma to patient treatment area. Gas is fed to a gas compartment where it is energized by an electrode coupled to a pulse source to thereby generate a cold plasma. A dielectric barrier is sandwiched between the gas compartment and the electrode to form a dielectric barrier discharge device. The cold plasma exits the gas compartment via a bottom member having a plurality of holes. Gases that can be used include noble gases such as helium or combinations of noble gases.
1. A cold plasma treatment device comprising:
a body having a gas compartment therein, the gas compartment communicatively coupled to a gas inlet port;
a bottom member comprises of a non-conductive material having a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings communicatively coupled to the gas compartment; and
a dielectric barrier discharge device formed by an electrode disposed adjacent to an insulating barrier, the insulating barrier in turn disposed adjacent to the gas compartment and the electrode coupled to a high voltage electrical inlet port.
2. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a manipulation element attached to the body, wherein the manipulation element is one of a handle, a semi-automatic manipulation actuator, and an automatic manipulation actuator.
3. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises at least one of ceramic, PTFE, polyoxymethylene and polyamide-imides.
4. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the bottom member is flat.
5. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the bottom member is flexible.
6. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the electrode comprises metallic material.
7. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the bottom member is polygonal in shape.
8. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the bottom member comprises open-cell foam to form the plurality of openings.
9. A method comprising:
receiving a gas into a gas compartment within a body, the gas received via a gas inlet port;
energizing the received gas within the gas compartment to generate a cold plasma by applying electrical energy via an electrical input port to an electrode adjacent to a dielectric barrier, the dielectric barrier sandwiched between the electrode and the gas compartment; and
outputting the cold plasma via a plurality of holes in a bottom member comprises of a non-conductive material, the plurality of holes communicatively coupled to the gas compartment.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
applying the cold plasma to a treatment area using a manipulation element, wherein the manipulation element is one of a handle, a semi-automatic manipulation actuator, and an automatic manipulation actuator.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the body comprises at least one of ceramic, PTFE, polyoxymethylene and polyamide-imides.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the bottom member is flat.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the bottom member is flexible.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electrode comprises metallic material.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the bottom member is polygonal in shape.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the bottom member comprises a non-conductive material.
17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the outputting the cold plasma via a plurality of holes in a bottom member includes using open-cell foam in the bottom member.
18. A cold plasma treatment system comprising:
a body having a gas compartment therein, the gas compartment communicatively coupled to a gas inlet port;
a bottom member comprises of non-conductive material having a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings communicatively coupled to the gas compartment;
a barrier discharge device formed by an electrode disposed adjacent to an insulating barrier, the insulating barrier in turn disposed adjacent to the gas compartment and the electrode coupled to a high voltage electrical inlet port; and
a pulsed electrical source coupled to the high voltage electrical inlet port.
19. The cold plasma treatment system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a source of gas coupled to the gas inlet port.
20. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein a first surface of the bottom member and a second surface of the insulating barrier share a common shape.
21. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 wherein a first surface of the bottom member, a second surface of the insulating barrier and a third surface of the electrode have a same surface area.
22. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the electrode and the gas compartment are on opposing sides of the insulating barrier.