Abstract: A plasma pinch having an inner/outer coaxial tube arrangement, which nested tube arrangement yields a higher-performance pinchlamp than is capable with a single-tube configuration. Further, each tube contains a separate gas, the inner tube filled with Argon, and the outer tube filled with Helium. The inner/outer coaxial tube arrangement of the present invention facilitates the use of an inner tube to contain a volume of Argon gas as the working gas. The outer tube is coaxial with the inner tube, surrounding the inner tube with contained Helium gas. The configuration of an outer tube filled with Helium presents external pressures to the inner tube. The contained Helium gas in the outer tube, among other things, compresses and supports the walls of the inner tube, enabling the inner tube to be smaller in diameter than prior art plasma chambers, which chambers would shatter if made with as small a diameter as the present inner tube.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the removal of coatings from surfaces utilizing UV energy. Preferably, the use of a laser-guided gas-embedded pinchlamp is utilized to remove paint coatings from aircraft surfaces. In a preferred form, the present invention provides a gas-embedded laser-guided pinchlamp device that, in operation, reduces toxic waste bi-products and can remove surface paint, in particular aircraft surface paint, or other coatings at a higher efficiency than all other alternative methods implemented or investigated to date. The present invention may preferably comprise eight distinct support systems; a plasma pinchlamp chamber, a power supply, a laser system, a gas supply system and coolant system, an optical reflector, a debris collection system for containing and catching toxic effluvients, an encasement device to contain effluvium in conjunction with the collection system, and a pinchlamp positioning system.