Patent ID: 7648683
Filing Date: 2010-01-19
Classification: B01D,B01J,F01N,F23J,H05H,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A plasma generating electrode comprising: a plurality of unit electrodes hierarchically layered at predetermined intervals, spaces which are open on each end in one direction and are closed on each end in the other direction being formed between the unit electrodes, the other direction being substantially perpendicular to the one direction, the plasma generating electrode being capable of generating plasma in the spaces upon application of voltage between the unit electrodes, each of the unit electrodes including a plate-like ceramic body as a dielectric and a conductive film disposed inside the ceramic body, the unit electrodes including a plurality of normal unit electrodes each having a predetermined length in the one direction, the conductive film in each of the normal electrodes extending substantially the entirety of the predetermined length in the one direction, and a plurality of deficient unit electrodes each having a first portion that contains the conductive film and extends only a part of the predetermined length in the one direction, and a second portion extending the remainder of the predetermined length, the second portion not containing the conductive film, the spaces including a plurality of normal spaces formed between one of the normal unit electrodes and the first portion of one of the deficient unit electrodes opposite to each other or between the first portions of two of the deficient unit electrodes opposite to each other so that a distance between the conductive films corresponds to a distance between the unit electrodes, and a plurality of deficient spaces formed between the normal unit electrodes opposite to each other with the second portion of one or more of the deficient unit electrodes interposed therebetween so that the distance between the conductive films in the deficient space is greater than the distance between the conductive films in the normal space, and the plasma generating electrode being capable of generating different intensities of plasma in the normal space and the deficient space due to the difference in the distance between the conductive films forming the unit electrodes which generate plasma between the normal space and the deficient space.