阅读说明：本技术 等离子束发生装置 (Plasma beam generating device ) 是由 曾宪俊 于 2019-07-25 设计创作，主要内容包括：本公开涉及一种等离子束发生装置。等离子束发生装置包括：等离子源；第一电源,用于为所述等离子源供电以产生等离子体；第一电极,被构造成具有孔；第二电源,用于在所述等离子源与所述第一电极之间产生第一电场,使得所述等离子体从所述孔穿过所述第一电极；第二电极用于接收穿过所述第一电极的等离子体；以及第三电源,用于在所述第一电极与所述第二电极之间产生第二电场。(The present disclosure relates to a plasma beam generating apparatus. The plasma beam generating apparatus includes: a plasma source; a first power supply for powering the plasma source to generate a plasma; a first electrode configured to have a hole; a second power supply for generating a first electric field between the plasma source and the first electrode such that the plasma passes from the aperture through the first electrode; a second electrode for receiving plasma through the first electrode; and a third power supply for generating a second electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode.)

1. A plasma beam generating apparatus comprising:

a plasma source;

a first power supply for powering the plasma source to generate a plasma;

a first electrode configured to have a hole;

a second power supply for generating a first electric field between the plasma source and the first electrode such that the plasma passes from the aperture through the first electrode;

a second electrode for receiving plasma passing through the first electrode; and

a third power supply for generating a second electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The plasma beam generating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plasma source comprises:

a hollow cylindrical positive electrode; and

and a negative electrode positioned inside the positive electrode.

3. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a positive electrode of the first power supply is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the plasma source, and a negative electrode of the first power supply is electrically connected to a negative electrode of the plasma source.

4. The plasma beam generating apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a positive electrode of the second power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode, and a negative electrode of the second power supply is electrically connected to a negative electrode of the plasma source.

5. The plasma beam generating apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a positive electrode of the third power supply is electrically connected to the second electrode, and a negative electrode of the third power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode.

6. The plasma beam generating apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first power supply is a pulse power supply.

7. The plasma beam generating apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pulse width of the first power source is 0.1 ms to 10 ms.

8. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the voltage of the first power supply is 1kV-2 kV.

9. The plasma beam generating apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second power supply is a pulse power supply.

10. A plasma beam generating apparatus comprising:

a plasma source;

a first power supply for powering the plasma source to generate a plasma;

a plurality of cascaded first electrodes, each first electrode provided with an aperture;

a plurality of second power sources connected in series and each having a positive electrode electrically connected to a corresponding first electrode such that the plasma passes from the hole through the corresponding first electrode;

a second electrode for receiving plasma through the plurality of cascaded first electrodes; and

a third power source having a positive electrode electrically connected to the second electrode and a negative electrode electrically connected to the first electrode adjacent to the second electrode.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a plasma beam generating apparatus.

Background

At present, the application of plasma is more and more extensive. For example, nuclear fusion can be achieved by collision of multiple high-energy hydrogen plasma beams. The high-energy hydrogen plasma beam is adopted to bombard a target material such as heavy metal, and the like, so that a neutron beam can be generated, and the high-energy hydrogen plasma beam can be used as a neutron source. A plasma beam generating apparatus is an apparatus that generates a plasma beam.

Disclosure of Invention

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a plasma beam generating apparatus including: a plasma source; a first power supply for powering the plasma source to generate a plasma; a first electrode configured to have a hole; a second power supply for generating a first electric field between the plasma source and the first electrode such that the plasma passes from the aperture through the first electrode; a second electrode for receiving plasma through the first electrode; and a third power supply for generating a second electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the plasma source comprises: a hollow cylindrical positive electrode; and a negative electrode positioned inside the positive electrode.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the positive electrode of the first power supply is electrically connected to the positive electrode of the plasma source, and the negative electrode of the first power supply is electrically connected to the negative electrode of the plasma source.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the positive electrode of the second power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode, and the negative electrode of the second power supply is electrically connected to the negative electrode of the plasma source.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the positive pole of the third power source is electrically connected to the second electrode and the negative pole of the third power source is electrically connected to the first electrode.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the first power supply is a pulsed power supply.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the pulse width of the first power source is 0.1 milliseconds to 10 milliseconds.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the voltage of the first power supply is 1kV-2 kV.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the second power supply is a pulsed power supply.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the pulse width of the second power source is 0.5-50 milliseconds.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the voltage of the second power supply is 300V-1000V.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the third power supply is a pulsed power supply.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the pulse width of the third power source is 0.1 msec to 10 msec.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the voltage of the third power supply is 1kV-3 kV.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the plasma beam generating apparatus further comprises: a vacuum chamber for containing the plasma.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the plasma beam generating device further comprises a magnet for generating a magnetic field configured to confine the plasma near a central axis of the vacuum chamber.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the plasma beam generating apparatus further comprises a gas source for providing an ionization gas to the vacuum chamber.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the vacuum chamber has a gas pressure of 1Pa to 10 Pa.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the gas source comprises: at least one of hydrogen, helium, and argon.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the plasma beam generating apparatus further comprises: a first current meter positioned between the first electrode and the plasma source, the first current meter configured to measure a current of the plasma beam between the first electrode and the plasma source.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the plasma beam generating apparatus further comprises: a second current meter between the first electrode and the second electrode, the second current meter configured to measure a current of the plasma beam between the second electrode and the first electrode.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the first current meter is a rogowski coil.

In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the second current meter is a rogowski coil.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a plasma beam generating apparatus including: a plasma source; a first power supply for powering the plasma source to generate a plasma; a plurality of cascaded first electrodes, each first electrode provided with an aperture; a plurality of second power sources connected in series and each having a positive electrode electrically connected to a corresponding first electrode such that the plasma passes from the hole through the corresponding first electrode; a second electrode for receiving plasma through the plurality of cascaded first electrodes; and a third power supply having a positive electrode electrically connected to the second electrode and a negative electrode electrically connected to the first electrode adjacent to the second electrode.

Other features of the present disclosure and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

The present disclosure may be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a plasma beam generating apparatus according to one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of a plasma beam generating apparatus according to one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Note that in the embodiments described below, the same reference numerals are used in common between different drawings to denote the same portions or portions having the same functions, and a repetitive description thereof will be omitted. In some cases, similar reference numbers and letters are used to denote similar items, and thus, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be discussed further in subsequent figures.

For convenience of understanding, the positions, sizes, ranges, and the like of the respective structures shown in the drawings and the like do not sometimes indicate actual positions, sizes, ranges, and the like. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the positions, dimensions, ranges, and the like disclosed in the drawings and the like.

Detailed Description

Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that: the relative arrangement of the components and steps, the numerical expressions, and numerical values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure unless specifically stated otherwise.

The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. That is, the structures and methods herein are shown by way of example to illustrate different embodiments of the structures and methods of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that they are merely illustrative of exemplary ways in which the disclosure may be practiced and not exhaustive. Furthermore, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components.

Techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail but are intended to be part of the specification where appropriate.

In all examples shown and discussed herein, any particular value should be construed as merely illustrative, and not limiting. Thus, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a plasma generation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 1, the plasma generating apparatus 100 includes a plasma source, a first electrode 103, a second electrode 104, a vacuum chamber 106, a gas source 112, a magnet 114, a first power supply 107, a second power supply 108, a third power supply 109, a first current meter 110, and a second current meter 111.

The plasma source includes a hollow cylindrical positive electrode 102 and a negative electrode 101 located inside the positive electrode. In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the positive electrode 102 can be cylindrical, as shown in fig. 1. The positive electrode 102 may have other suitable shapes such as a hollow conical cylinder. The negative electrode 101 may be, for example, rod-shaped or needle-shaped. The negative electrode of the first power supply 107 is electrically connected to the negative electrode 101 of the plasma source, and the positive electrode of the first power supply 107 is electrically connected to the positive electrode 102 of the plasma source.

The plasma source is disposed within the vacuum chamber 106 and can generate a plasma in the vacuum chamber 106. Further, a first electrode 103 is provided in the vacuum chamber 106. As shown in fig. 1, the first electrode 103 is provided with a hole 113, and a plasma beam formed of plasma can pass through the hole 113. The first electrode 103 is electrically connected to the positive electrode of the second power supply 108 and the negative electrode of the third power supply 109.

The vacuum chamber 106 is provided with a third electrode 104. The third electrode 104 is electrically connected to the positive electrode of the third power supply 109. In addition, the gas source 112 is in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber 106, and a gas can be provided to the vacuum chamber 106, for example, the gas provided by the gas source 112 can be hydrogen, helium, argon, a mixture of at least two of the above, or the like. A portion of the gas entering the vacuum chamber will be ionized into a plasma by the plasma source.

Further, a first ammeter 110 and a second ammeter 111 may also be provided in the vacuum chamber 106. The first current meter 110 and the second current meter 111 may be, for example, rogowski coils (rogowski coils), which may measure the current of the plasma beam. The rogowski coil is a toroidal coil uniformly wound on a non-ferromagnetic material. The output signal of the rogowski coil is the current differential over time. The input current of the Rogowski coil can be really restored through a circuit for integrating the output voltage signal. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the first current meter 110 may measure the current of the plasma beam flowing from the plasma source to the first electrode 103, and the second current meter 111 may measure the current of the plasma beam flowing from the first electrode 103 to the second electrode 104.

In the plasma beam generating apparatus 100 shown in fig. 1, a magnet 114 is also provided. As shown in fig. 1, magnets 114 may be disposed around the vacuum chamber 106. The magnet 114 may generate a confinement magnetic field in the vacuum chamber 106. The plasma beam 115 may be constrained on a predetermined trajectory by a confining magnetic field, for example, the plasma beam 115 may be constrained near a central axis of the vacuum chamber 106, ensuring that the plasma beam 115 travels along the central axis. The magnet 114 may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.

It should be appreciated that in some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the plasma beam generation apparatus 100 may not include the magnet 114. According to theoretical calculations, when the current reaches about 30kA or more, the magnetic field generated by the plasma beam itself can achieve magnetic confinement of the plasma beam, which is called self-induced magnetic confinement (self-induced magnetic confinement). However, in the current state of the art, it is difficult for a single power supply to meet the above current requirements. In the embodiment of fig. 1, an arrangement of a second power supply 108 and a third power supply 109 is employed. This arrangement of multiple power sources can support higher currents and the distance traveled by the plasma beam 115 in the vacuum chamber 106 can be longer.

Further, in order to realize a larger current, the first power supply 107, the second power supply 108, and the third power supply 109 may all be pulse power supplies. For example, the pulse width of the first power source 107 may be, for example, 0.1 msec to 10 msec, and the voltage may be, for example, 1kV to 2 kV. The pulse width of the second power supply 108 may be, for example, 0.5 msec to 50 msec, and the voltage may be, for example, 300V to 1000V. The pulse width of the third power supply 109 may be, for example, 0.1 msec to 10 msec, and the voltage may be, for example, 1kV to 3 kV. In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, the voltage of the third power supply 109 may also be, for example, 1kV-2.2 kV.

The operation of the plasma beam generating apparatus shown in fig. 1 will be described in detail.

First, the vacuum chamber 106 is evacuated, and then a mixed gas of hydrogen and argon is introduced into the vacuum chamber 106 through the gas source 112, wherein the flow ratio of hydrogen to argon is 1: 1. the flow rate of the gas source 112 is controlled so that the gas pressure in the vacuum chamber 106 is maintained at 1Pa to 10 Pa. For example, the pressure in the vacuum chamber 106 is maintained at about 5Pa by adjusting the flow rate of hydrogen gas to 2000sccm and the flow rate of argon gas to 2000 sccm.

Next, the first power supply 107 is turned on to supply power to the negative electrode 101 and the positive electrode 102 of the plasma source. When the pulse generated by the first power source 107 is supplied to the plasma source, the gas between the negative electrode 101 and the positive electrode 102 is ionized, thereby generating plasma.

The second power supply 108 and the third power supply 109 are also pulsed power supplies and the first power supply 107, the second power supply 108 and the third power supply 109 are substantially synchronized. That is, the first power supply 107, the second power supply 108, and the third power supply 109 pulse substantially simultaneously. Accordingly, while the plasma source generates plasma, a pulse from the second power source 108 is applied between the first electrode 103 and the negative electrode 101 of the plasma source, thereby generating an electric field between the first electrode 103 and the negative electrode 101. Under the action of the electric field and the plasma, the gas between the first electrode 103 and the negative electrode 101 is also ionized. Thus, a plasma beam 115 between the first electrode 103 and the negative electrode 101 is formed.

An aperture 113 is provided in the first electrode 103 such that at least a portion of the plasma beam 115 may pass through the first electrode 103 via the aperture 113. A pulse from the third power supply 109 is applied between the second electrode 104 and the first electrode 103, and an electric field is also generated between the second electrode 104 and the first electrode 103. Under the action of the electric field and the plasma beam passing through the hole 113, the gas between the second electrode 104 and the first electrode 103 is also ionized, so that the plasma beam 115 is elongated and reaches the second electrode 104.

In the above embodiment, the voltage of the first pulse power supply is 1000V, and the pulse width is 1 msec; the voltage of the second pulse power supply is 450V, and the pulse width is 5 milliseconds; the voltage of the third pulse power supply was 1800V, and the pulse width was 1 msec. As can be measured, the plasma density at the center of the plasma beam 115 is about 6.56 x 10²²m^-3. The plasma density is greater than that obtained by other plasma beam generating devices.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the above specific embodiments. Other approaches may also be employed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure. For example, the plasma beam generating apparatus may further comprise further electrodes and corresponding power supplies. In other words, a plurality of cascaded first electrodes and corresponding second power supplies may be provided to lengthen the plasma beam. Wherein each first electrode may be provided with an aperture for the plasma beam to pass through. For example, a plurality of second power sources may be connected in series with each other, and the positive electrode of each second power source is electrically connected to the corresponding first electrode, such that the negative electrodes of the remaining second power sources are electrically connected to the first electrode in front of the corresponding first electrode, except that the negative electrode of the first second power source is electrically connected to the negative electrode of the plasma source. Further, a positive electrode of the third power source is electrically connected to the second electrode, and a negative electrode of the third power source is electrically connected to the first electrode adjacent to the second electrode. In this way, an electric field having the same direction can be generated along the axial direction of the vacuum chamber, so that the plasma beam can continue to extend along the electric field.

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic view of a plasma beam generation apparatus, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 2, the plasma beam generating apparatus 200 includes a plasma source, a first electrode 103, a second electrode 104, a vacuum chamber 106, a gas source 112, a magnet 114, a first power supply 107, a second power supply 108, a third power supply 109, a first current meter 110, and a second current meter 111. These components are similar to the plasma beam generating apparatus 100 of fig. 1, and a description thereof will not be repeated.

In the plasma beam generating apparatus 200 shown in fig. 2, a first electrode 2103 and a second power source 2108 are further provided. As shown in fig. 2, the second power source 2108 is connected in series with the second power source 108, wherein the positive pole of the second power source 2108 is electrically connected to the first electrode 2103 and the negative pole of the second power source 2108 is electrically connected to the first electrode 103. In addition, the first electrode 2103 is also provided with an aperture 2113, so that the plasma beam 115 can pass through the aperture 2113. The second power supply 2108 may also be a pulsed power supply, for example, and may be synchronized with other pulsed power supplies.

The operation of the plasma beam generating apparatus 200 is similar to that of the plasma beam generating apparatus 100 shown in fig. 1. Under the action of the electric field between the electrodes and the plasma generated by the plasma source, the plasma forms a plasma beam and passes through the aperture 113 of the first electrode 103, the aperture 2113 of the first electrode 2103, and to the second electrode 104 in this order. Due to the addition of the first electrode 2103, the length of the plasma beam 115 can be further extended, and the density of plasma near the central axis can be increased.

The plasma beam generation apparatus 100 according to the present disclosure may have many uses. For example, the target 105 may be provided at the end of the second electrode 104. In this way, tests can be performed in which the target 105 is bombarded by a plasma beam. Since the plasma beam generating apparatus 100 according to the present disclosure can generate a high-density plasma beam, many new test results can be obtained.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the following technical solutions may also be adopted:

1. a plasma beam generating apparatus comprising:

a plasma source;

a first power supply for powering the plasma source to generate a plasma;

a first electrode configured to have a hole;

a second power supply for generating a first electric field between the plasma source and the first electrode such that the plasma passes from the aperture through the first electrode;

a second electrode for receiving plasma passing through the first electrode; and

a third power supply for generating a second electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to 1, wherein the plasma source includes:

a hollow cylindrical positive electrode; and

and a negative electrode positioned inside the positive electrode.

3. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a positive electrode of the first power supply is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the plasma source, and a negative electrode of the first power supply is electrically connected to a negative electrode of the plasma source.

4. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a positive electrode of the second power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode, and a negative electrode of the second power supply is electrically connected to a negative electrode of the plasma source.

5. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a positive electrode of the third power supply is electrically connected to the second electrode, and a negative electrode of the third power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode.

6. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first power supply is a pulse power supply.

7. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a pulse width of the first power source is 0.1 msec to 10 msec.

8. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the voltage of the first power supply is 1kV-2 kV.

9. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second power supply is a pulse power supply.

10. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a pulse width of the second power source is 0.5 msec to 50 msec.

11. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to 9 or 10, wherein the voltage of the second power supply is 300V to 1000V.

12. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the third power supply is a pulse power supply.

13. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a pulse width of the third power supply is 0.1 msec to 10 msec.

14. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to 12 or 13, wherein the voltage of the third power supply is 1kV-3 kV.

15. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising:

a vacuum chamber for containing the plasma.

16. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a magnet for generating a magnetic field configured to confine the plasma in the vicinity of a central axis of the vacuum chamber.

17. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to 15 or 16, further comprising a gas source for supplying an ionization gas to the vacuum chamber.

18. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a gas pressure of the vacuum chamber is 1Pa to 10 Pa.

19. The plasma beam generating apparatus of claim 17, wherein the gas source comprises: at least one of hydrogen, helium, and argon.

20. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 19, further comprising:

a first current meter positioned between the first electrode and the plasma source, the first current meter configured to measure a current of the plasma beam between the first electrode and the plasma source.

21. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 20, further comprising:

a second current meter between the first electrode and the second electrode, the second current meter configured to measure a current of the plasma beam between the second electrode and the first electrode.

22. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to 20, wherein the first current meter is a rogowski coil.

23. The plasma beam generating apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the second current meter is a rogowski coil.

24. A plasma beam generating apparatus comprising:

a plasma source;

a first power supply for powering the plasma source to generate a plasma;

a plurality of cascaded first electrodes, each first electrode provided with an aperture;

a plurality of second power sources connected in series and each having a positive electrode electrically connected to a corresponding first electrode such that the plasma passes from the hole through the corresponding first electrode;

a second electrode for receiving plasma through the plurality of cascaded first electrodes; and

a third power source having a positive electrode electrically connected to the second electrode and a negative electrode electrically connected to the first electrode adjacent to the second electrode.

The terms "front," "back," "top," "bottom," "over," "under," and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the disclosure described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.

As used herein, the word "exemplary" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration," and not as a "model" that is to be replicated accurately. Any implementation exemplarily described herein is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Furthermore, the disclosure is not limited by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the detailed description.

As used herein, the term "substantially" is intended to encompass any minor variation resulting from design or manufacturing imperfections, device or component tolerances, environmental influences, and/or other factors. The word "substantially" also allows for differences from a perfect or ideal situation due to parasitics, noise, and other practical considerations that may exist in a practical implementation.

In addition, the foregoing description may refer to elements or nodes or features being "connected" or "coupled" together. As used herein, unless expressly stated otherwise, "connected" means that one element/node/feature is directly connected to (or directly communicates with) another element/node/feature, either electrically, mechanically, logically, or otherwise. Similarly, unless expressly stated otherwise, "coupled" means that one element/node/feature may be mechanically, electrically, logically, or otherwise joined to another element/node/feature in a direct or indirect manner to allow for interaction, even though the two features may not be directly connected. That is, to "couple" is intended to include both direct and indirect joining of elements or other features, including connection with one or more intermediate elements.

In addition, "first," "second," and like terms may also be used herein for reference purposes only, and thus are not intended to be limiting. For example, the terms "first," "second," and other such numerical terms referring to structures or elements do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context.

It will be further understood that the terms "comprises/comprising," "includes" and/or "including," when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

In the present disclosure, the term "providing" is used broadly to encompass all ways of obtaining an object, and thus "providing an object" includes, but is not limited to, "purchasing," "preparing/manufacturing," "arranging/setting," "installing/assembling," and/or "ordering" the object, and the like.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the boundaries between the above described operations merely illustrative. Multiple operations may be combined into a single operation, single operations may be distributed in additional operations, and operations may be performed at least partially overlapping in time. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include multiple instances of a particular operation, and the order of operations may be altered in various other embodiments. However, other modifications, variations, and alternatives are also possible. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Although some specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail by way of example, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing examples are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The various embodiments disclosed herein may be combined in any combination without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.