@tutorial: Homemade Plasma Toroid oscillator circuit

How is the plasma confined in the shape of a ring? How is that possible? We will see just that in today's episode where I build the required circuit, make the PCB and create my own plasma toroid inside of a glass ball.

The plasma toroid phenomenon is a great example of inductively coupled plasma or ICP. By the way, this project has no use other than looking cool. Is just an illustration of electromagnetic laws and I wanted to do it. Together with the PCB you will need all these small components. The MOSFET, the potentiometer, resistor and diodes, capacitors and so on. You have the full part list on the tutorial page below. By the way, I bought the xenon glass from Aliexpress and it costs quite a lot, like 80 bucks so it would be nuice to have my own vacuum system and create my own gas bottles, but anyway.

1. 
   
2. Get PCB Gerbers Download GERBERs
3. 1 x Xenon Ball LINK Aliexpress
4. 1 x IRFP260N MOSFET LINK Aliexpress
5. 1 x 1K Potentiometer with switch LINK Aliexpress
6. 1 x ZM4739A diode LINK Aliexpress
7. 1 x P6KE15CA diode LINK Aliexpress
8. 2 x C1812 4.7uF capacitor LINK Aliexpress
9. 4 x C1812 100pF capacitor LINK Aliexpress
10. 1 x 220uF Electrolytic capacitor LINK Aliexpress
11. 1 x 10uH Coil LINK Aliexpress
12. 1 x DC 5.5mm jack LINK Aliexpress
13. 1mm enameled copper wire LINK Aliexpress
14. 1/4W resistors (check values on schematic) LINK Aliexpress
15. 24V fan 80mm LINK Aliexpress
16. Heat dissipator LINK Aliexpress
17. 24V 2A supply LINK Aliexpress

As you will see I have two PCBs. On the main one, we have to make the oscillator circuit which is quite simple. A transistor, some coils and capacitors and a few diodes and resistors. My project is based on this document I found online by Tate McAluney and Jeff Feigin. You have here all the theory, optimization, an example circuit, graphs and observations.

So if you also want such a cool experiment, you can get the PCB file from below and order it at PCBWAY.com This project has two PCBs, actually 3 if you count these small leg PCBs. One for the oscillating driver and another PCB to support the main coil. So download them from below and go to PCBWAY.com and click the quote now button. Add the size, the amount of PCBs and the color. I like the black color for this project. Add to cart and on the next page upload the GERBER files and make the order and just like that, in a few days I receive my beautiful design.

Let 's assemble it. I first add the potentiometer and the main input jack. I then add all the through hole resistors. Check the schematic for the values. Then I add the capacitors. The same, the values are on the schematic and make sure you use 18 12 size capacitors. Then I add the coil. The mosfet goes on the bottom side. So I bend the legs like this, and solder it like this, with the metal pad facing downwards. Like that we can later add the heat dissipator touching the MOSFET. Now the oscillator is ready. This will get connected to the second PCB which will have yet another coil. If you check the schematic you can see that the coil on points A and B is in parallel, with the capacitors forming an LC circuit that will resonate. The potentiometer is turned to increase the voltage at the mosfet gate, until the gate voltage is equal to the mosfet’s threshold voltage and start discharging the tank capacitors through the plasma drive coil. Let's make the final assembly. Using screws and separators, we connect together the main PCb with the heat dissipator and the cooling fan. I’ve used these plastic separators to add some insulation. On top I add the coil PCB which also has an LED that will glow when the circuit is running so don’t touch the circuit if the LED is turned on or it might zapp you.

Take the coil PCB and using some enameled copper wire we make yet another. coil. (add wire diameter). To support this coil I’ve made some PCB legs. To spare space and use only a few PCBs, I’ve panelzed the design so each PCB has 4 legs. You can simply snap each leg with your fingers. We need 5 legs and each one has 5 holes. Place the legs on the second PCB and use solder to fix them in place. Take the enameled wire and make 5 loops. it should end up like this, a coil with 5 loops and two wires going downwards. Place the second PCB on top of the driver PCB with screws and connect the wires from the big coil to the driver connector and the oscillator is ready. Place the xenon gas ball on top. We need a main supply of 24V which could be a brick adaptor with enough current. Connect the supply to the main DC input and flip the potentiometer switch. If you do want to support my work, check my PATREON page and also my PayPal for donations. The PCB design, the schematic, the part list and the 3D files for the case are free.

If my videos help you, consider supporting my work on my PATREON or a donation on my PayPal. Thanks again and see you later guys.