MEMS Microplasma Jet for Biomedical Apoptosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma technologies face challenges in generating stable low-temperature microplasma jets at atmospheric pressure, as high-temperature plasma can cause thermal damage in medical applications, and mechanical processing limits the size and area of plasma generation.
Innovation Solution
A plasma jet device manufactured using micromachining processes like MEMS, with microelectrodes of less than several tens of micrometers in diameter, generates low-temperature plasma with high current density under atmospheric pressure, employing a nickel anode and porous insulating materials to prevent arc discharge transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high-temperature plasma is used for medical purpose, then plasma generation is achieved, but thermal damage on cell occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters by using atmospheric pressure glow discharge instead of high-temperature plasma, and employs micro-scale electrode dimensions (sub-millimeter to micrometer range) to achieve low-temperature plasma generation suitable for medical applications without thermal damage to cells
2Temperature
If glow discharge is used under atmospheric pressure, then low-temperature plasma is generated, but glow to arc transition occurs causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic gas flow through the discharge region to continuously cool the electrode and maintain stable glow discharge conditions under atmospheric pressure, preventing transition to arc discharge
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes multiple parameters including electrode geometry (micro-scale dimensions), gas flow rate, and applied voltage to maintain stable glow discharge operation at atmospheric pressure without transitioning to arc discharge
3Ease of manufacture
If mechanical processing is used to create discharge electrodes, then electrode fabrication is achieved, but size reduction is limited and broad area processing is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical processing methods with micromachining and microfabrication techniques (such as MEMS processes, photolithography, and electroplating) to create micro-scale electrodes, enabling precise size control and complex geometries that are difficult to achieve with conventional mechanical machining
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively produces low-temperature microplasma with high current density using low voltage, suitable for biomedical applications without thermal damage, enabling precise treatment of cells like cancer cells through apoptosis induction.
Implementation Method 1
generating a glow discharge stable under atmospheric pressure... a discharge occurs while gas continuously flows in... an electrode is naturally cooled, thereby generating a glow discharge stable under atmospheric pressure
Implementation Method 2
To prevent glow to arc transition (GAT), heating on an electrode has to be prevented while a discharge occurs... porous insulating materials to prevent arc discharge transitions
Implementation Method 3
In a way where a discharge occurs while gas continuously flows in, an electrode is naturally cooled, thereby generating a glow discharge stable under atmospheric pressure
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided an atmospheric low-temperature micro plasma jet device for bio-medical application. The plasma jet device includes an electrode used as an anode, a gas injection pipe used as a cathode, a porous insulating material, a protection pipe, and an insulating case. The electrode allows plasma to be jetted. The gas injection pipe allows gas to be injected from the outside. The porous insulating material between the electrode and the gas injection pipe insulates the electrode from the gas injection pipe and has a plurality of passing holes to allow the gas injected by the gas injection pipe to be passed to the electrode. The protection pipe surrounds the gas injection pipe to insulate and protect the gas injection pipe from the outside. The insulating case surrounds the porous insulating material which the electrode and the gas injection pipe connect and prevents the diffusion of a discharge occurring to generate the plasma between the electrode and the gas injection pipe. The plasma jet device is manufactured by micromachining such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) in such a way that a diameter of micro electrodes where plasma is jetted is several tens micrometers or less, thereby generating and jetting low-temperature plasma with a high current density using a low voltage under atmospheric pressure. Accordingly, the plasma jet device may be applied to be the bio-medical field using apoptosis.