An atmospheric pressure pulsed arc plasma source and method of using including a housing having a housing opening therein; an insulator tube having an insulator tube opening therein, retained within the housing opening; and a conductive tube, retained within the insulator tube opening. A nozzle is retained by the housing. A feed path is defined in the conductive tube and the nozzle and a gas feed port is operatively coupled to the feed path. Feedstock is provided in the feed path and electrically coupled to the conductive tube. A pulsed DC power source provides a pulsed voltage to the conductive tube. The plasma source emits a discharge stream having a temperature that is less than 50.degree. C. from the nozzle and a coating is formed on a substrate.
Vasiliki Zorbas Poenitzsch; Ronghua Wei; Edward Langa; Kent E. Coulter