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'''Plasma sources''' generate#REDIRECT [[Plasma (physics)|plasmas]].
Excitation of a plasma requires partial [[ionization]] of neutral [[atom]]s and/or [[molecule]]s of a medium.
There are several ways to cause [[ionization]]:
collisions of energetic particles, strong electric fields acting on bond
[[electron]]s, or [[ionizing radiation]]. The [[kinetic energy]] for ionizing collisions may come from the [[heat]] of chemical or nuclear reactions of the medium, as in [[flame]]s, for instance. Alternatively, already released charged particles may be accelerated by [[electric field]]s, generated electromagnetically or by radiation fields.
If at least as many [[charge carrier]]s are created per time unit as
recombine, the plasma can be sustained.
Plasma excitation by [[electromagnetic field]]s can be classified according to:
*[[Frequency classification of plasmas]]
*Energy coupling mode
**[[DC coupled plasma]]
**[[Inductively coupled plasma]]
***[[Solenoid coil]]
***[[Planar coil]]
***[[Helical resonator]]
**[[Capacitively coupled plasma]]
***[[Single-frequency capacitively coupled plasma]]
***[[Dual-frequency capacitively coupled plasma]]
**[[Wave-heated plasma]]
***[[Electron cyclotron resonance]]
***[[Helicon discharge]]
***[[Surface-wave-sustained mode]]
***[[Resonator mode]]
**[[Electrodeless plasma excitation]]
*Pressure range classification
**[[Low pressure discharge]]
**[[Atmospheric pressure discharge]]
*[[MAGPIE]],aka, [[Mega Ampere Generator for Plasma Implosion Experiments]]
Plasma sources have numerous technical applications, for instance in [[light generation]] and [[plasma processing]] of materials.
They can be used for extracting an ion beam, in which case they are also called [[ion sources]]. An innovative and emerging field is the application of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma sources in [[plasma medicine]].
==See also==
* [[Plasma torch]]
* [[Ion source]]
* [[List of plasma (physics) articles]]
[[Category:Plasma physics]]
[[Category:Plasma processing]]
[[Category:Ion source]]
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