Patent ID: 7587985

Claim:
A method including: (a) producing an isolation atmosphere in a phase changing area above a reactant liquid, the phase changing area being included within a phase changing chamber defined by an inner boundary wall including a side wall portion extending transverse to a level of the reactant liquid; (b) injecting a feed material into the reactant liquid, the feed material including a carbon bearing material; (c) maintaining the carbon bearing material and any reaction products in contact with the reactant liquid for a period of time sufficient to liberate carbon atoms from the carbon bearing material or reaction products and place the liberated carbon atoms in an excited state; (d) enabling the liberated carbon atoms in the excited state to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid and flow along a particle formation path through the phase changing area; and (e) introducing an isolation fluid into the phase changing chamber at the side wall portion of the inner boundary wall and above the surface of the reactant liquid as liberated carbon atoms in the excited state traverse the surface of the reactant liquid and flow along the particle formation path.