Outside a vacuum, plasmas rapidly combine with other gases in the atmosphere and become ordinary, electrically neutral gases. Naturally occurring, high-temperature plasmas are made up of particles too energetic to readily combine with other gases and become neutral. These plasmas are so hot, however, they quickly incinerate anything they contact. In order to exist at room temperature, artificial plasmas such as those found in fluorescent lights require both vacuums and strong electric fields. Hicks' plasma jet overcomes these problems by using an energetic, low-temperature plasma to increase the energy levels of other gases, making them chemically unstable.
Researchers use different gas mixtures depending on the task.
To clean radioactive waste, for example, they use a fluorine compound. As pressurized gas flows between two concentric, cylindrical electrodes, the electrical field strips away electrons, creating the charged ions of the plasma. This plasma boosts the energy level of other gases in the tube, which, in turn, react with whatever they encounter. Hicks points out there are thousands of glove boxes that are contaminated with radioactive material. However, there are still challenges.