Abstract: The present invention addresses to a plasma reactor for the thermal and/or plasmatic decomposition of hydrocarbon molecules aiming at the production of carbon nanotubes on a large scale, as well as amorphous carbon of superior quality in terms of purity. Because it is operated at pressures close to the atmospheric pressure and can operate in a continuous flow regime, said reactor has a superior capacity for the production of carbon nanotubes. The hydrocarbon pyrolysis by means of thermal plasma or the heat derived therefrom produces carbonaceous material that presents a higher purity content than those obtained by the methods most used in the production of solid carbon, which are based, generally, on the burning of part of the load hydrocarbon.

Abstract: Laser frequency locking apparatus (5), comprising: a slave laser (15), having associated with it means (14, 18) for coupling and/or means (18, 25) for coupling and propagating signals received and emitted; a phase lock loop (24); and a controller (16), operable to control the slave laser, wherein an output of a reference signal source (1) associated with a master source (2, 3), and receivable therefrom, is utilised in the phase lock loop to render the output frequency of the slave laser the same as an output frequency of the master source. The invention described relates to a technique for generating a set of highly stable optical frequency channels. There are provided methods and systems of locking laser frequencies and of synthesizing frequencies.