? An atmospheric pressure, microwave plasma is shown to be effective in rapid sterilization of surfaces. The progress resulting from the Phase I award is described, as is the Phase II proposal, which will further refine this technology, expand field of use, and provide direction towards product development and icommercialization. The main technology around which the PlasmaMed products will be based is the SterileJetTM source - a device capable of producing a cold-plasma stream that rapidly sterilizes surfaces. PlasmaMed has shown through Phase I research that when operated on argon, the plasma serves primarily to channel both ultraviolet and electromagnetic waves onto the surface to be sterilized. While chemical activity (due to reactive oxygen when small amounts of oxygen is added) may in part augment the sterilization process, it is not the primary mechanism for killing bacteria. The proposed Phase II research shall examine methods of enhancing the electromagnetic field to achieve breakdown with air, and explore new source geometries and arrays that will expand the stream's coverage area. A presentation of the commercial potential shows that this technology satisfies a niche in the sterilization market, being portable and simple to operate while making use of inexpensive microwave technologies. ? ?
