Systems and methods for handling plasma, i.e.:

Generating plasma;

Confining plasma.

These systems are essentially related to experimental plasma systems used for studying the conditions for a controlled thermonuclear fusion.

Methods for investigating plasma, i.e. for measuring plasma parameters;

Systems and methods for generating local plasma to be used in industrial applications, e.g. plasma torches for cutting, welding, spraying or incinerating;

Systems and methods for generating and/or accelerating neutral particle beams, i.e. atomic or molecular beams, neutron beams;

Targets for producing nuclear reactions under irradiation;

Systems and methods for accelerating charged particle beams, i.e electrostatic accelerators, linear accelerators, magnetic induction accelerators, magnetic resonance accelerators.

Methods for measuring different parameters inherently associated with plasma, by using radiation, thermal, electric, magnetic or acoustic means.

Systems and methods for confining a plasma; systems and methods for heating and sustaining the confined plasma.

Laboratory systems in which plasma is confined in closed toroidal or helical loops by externally applied magnetic fields.

Nuclear fusion reactors (operated as prototypes for industrial energy production) based on closed-loop plasma containment systems are classified in G21B.

Laboratory systems in which plasma is generated and confined by application of external magnetic fields and electric fields.

Laboratory systems in which plasma is generated and confined by application of external electromagnetic fields at RF or microwave frequency, often operated in condition of electron-cyclotron resonance or ion-cyclotron resonance.

Laboratory systems in which the plasma is heated by inducing a current through it. The current is induced by an electromagnetic winding linked with the plasma torus, i.e. the plasma acts as the secondary winding of a transformer.

Laboratory systems in which high-energy atoms are injected into the ohmically heated, magnetically confined plasma. The atoms are ionized as they pass through the plasma and are trapped by the magnetic field. The high-energy ions then transfer part of their energy to the plasma particles in repeated collisions, increasing the plasma temperature.

Arrangements for generating plasma to be used in industrial applications, i.e.

Thermonuclear plasma generating and confining systems for use in nuclear fusion reactor plants are dealt with in G21B 1/00. Plasma generating and confining systems for laboratory nuclear fusion studies are dealt with in H05H 1/00 to H05H 1/22. H01J 49/00 covers the particle spectrometer or separator tubes. H05H 1/24 covers the plasma generation and therefore includes the torches used to generate a plasma from a gas. In gas spectrometry, a gas is normally turned into plasma and the electromagnetic emission is analysed. The torches used to turn such gas into plasma are generally classified in the lower subgroup H05H 1/30, because they use an electromagnetic field to activate the plasma gas.

Arrangements for generating plasma using dielectric-barrier discharges, i.e. a dielectric is interposed between the plasma generating electrodes.

Arrangements for generating local plasma by application of pressure waves to a gas or liquid-filled medium, i.e. cavitation, sonoluminescence.

This group covers :

Plasma torches, whereby a plasma torch is meant as a device for generating a directed flow of plasma, e.g. used for cutting or welding metals, for localized surface treatment of objects or spectroscopic analysis. In particular, this group covers:

Systems for metal working which include a plasma generating torch are dealt with in B23K 9/00 and B23K 10/00.

Arrangements within a plasma torch for cooling the components of the torch and evacuating the heat produced during the torch service.

Torches in which plasma is generated by high-frequency electromagnetic fields (e.g. inductive coils enveloping the torch), in particular used for spectroscopic analysis.

Torches in which plasma is generated by establishing an arc discharge between two electrodes.

Details related to the electrical and mechanical components of a plasma arc torch.

Arrangements for controlling the discharge generating arc, e.g. shaped nozzles, secondary gas circuits.

Arrangements for protecting the plasma jet exiting from the torch, e.g. from mixing with and/or cooling by the surrounding atmosphere.

Circuits arrangements for supplying electric power to the torch, and arrangements for supplying gases to the torch.

The arc welding or cutting systems, in which a plasma arc torch is inserted, are dealt with in B23K 10/00 and B23K 9/00.

Systems for guiding consumable electrodes in the torch.

Arrangements for controlling the discharge generating arc with magnetic means.

Torches provided with arrangements for introducing materials into the plasma, e.g. precursors for material treatment, either within the torch or at the torch plasma jet exit.

Discharge tubes or vessels for plasma treatment of objects under controlled pressure are dealt with in H01J 37/32.

Plasma systems, other than torches, for treatment of objects, wherein plasma is generated by establishment of an arc, e.g. incinerators.

Plasma systems, other than torches, for treatment of object surfaces, wherein plasma is generated by a corona discharge (i.e. the discharge occurs when the strength of the electric field around the electrode is high enough to form a conductive region, but not high enough to cause electrical breakdown or arcing to the object).

Systems using local plasma generation for specific applications.

System and methods for accelerating ions and/or electrons out of a plasma.

Systems and methods for generating atomic beams, molecular beams and neutron beams, as well as systems and methods for generating electromagnetic radiation.

Systems and methods for generating a beam of molecular or atomic particles, e.g. by irradiation of a target or by neutralization of charged particles.

Systems and methods for accelerating electrically neutral particules by means of electromagnetic fields (e.g. by exploiting their dipolar electric moment, levitation devices) and for accelerating or cooling atom beams (e.g. atom traps, atom chips).

Systems and methods for generating neutron beams, e.g. by impacting a target in a sealed envelope, by collision of particle beams, for logging tools, for material detection).

Electrostatic generators provided with high-voltage cascades, e.g. Greinacher cascade.

Materials and devices used as a target for producing secondary particles upon impact of an impinging beam.

This subclass includes also auxiliary components of the targets, such as windows, radiation protective screens, cooling arrangements.

Polarised targets used in quantum physics (e.g., targets for polarising neutron beams, spin-polarised thermonuclear fuels) and arrangements for their production.

Constructive arrangements and components of linear accelerators, magnetic induction accelerators and magnetic resonance accelerators (e.g. magnet systems, power supply systems), their auxiliary systems (e.g. beam injection systems, undulators) and irradiation systems using such accelerators.

In patent documents the following expressions/words are often used as synonyms:

"LINAC" and "Linear accelerator"

"CW" and "Continuous wave"

Systems for delivering the accelerated beam of particles to the target.

Systems for supplying microwave or radio-frequency energy to the different components and auxiliaries of the accelerator, e.g. accelerating cavities, electromagnets, particle sources.

All kind of magnets and superconducting magnets used in particle accelerators, e.g. for beam bunching (undulators, wigglers), focusing, bending or deflecting.

Arrangements for storing and accelerating plural particle beams at the same time (e.g. for beam collision purposes) and for beam merging (e.g. funneling).

Systems and methods for forming and injecting particle beams into an accelerator by mechanical, electrostatic or magnetic means (e.g. ion and electron sources, pre-accelerators).

Arrangements for extracting the charged particles from the accelerators, e.g. septa, stripping foils.

Systems and methods for varying the energy of the extracted beam, by electromagnetic or mechanical means or by emittance variation (e.g. RF cavities, stripping foils, stochastic cooling).

The vacuum chambers, cavities and resonators used in a charged particle accelerator and their auxiliary systems (e.g. vacuum pumps, cryostats).

Specific components and systems of linear accelerators (e.g. drift tubes, arrangements for coupling cavities, arrangements for coupling power to cavities) and of the accelerators covered by H05H 15/00.

Hadron linacs, drift-tube linacs, side-coupled cavity linacs, RF quadrupoles, lepton linacs and hybrid linacs.

Systems and methods for accelerating electron beams by means of an electromagnetic wave (microwave) travelling in a tube serving as waveguide.

Linear accelerators wherein electric fields are set up as standing waves within a resonant cavity, with drift tubes suspended along the central axis.

Linear accelerators for hadron particles, e.g. protons, neutrons and ions.

Linear accelerators with drift tubes suspended along the central axis.

Linear accelerators combining the features of H05H 9/042 to H05H 9/045.

Linear accelerators for lepton particles, e.g. electrons.

Betatrons.

Cyclotrons, synchrotrons, synchrocyclotrons, fixed-field alternating-gradient accelerators and microtrons.

Systems and methods for accelerating or decelerating charged particles by means other than linear or magnetic resonance accelerators, e.g. laser pulses, resonance converters, magnetic monopole accelerators, dielectric-wall accelerators, inductive amplification of particle energy.