1. A system (1) for generating and controlling a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma, comprising a discharge space (10) into which a working gas can be introduced through a first opening (12), wherein a plasma (5) can be generated in the discharge space (10), and the discharge space (10) has a second opening (14) so that the plasma (5, 6) can exit the discharge space (10) through this second opening (14). The system includes at least one high-voltage electrode (20) for generating an electromagnetic field to create a plasma (5) in the discharge space (10). It is characterized in that the plasma (5, 6) exiting through the second opening (14) is controlled by a flow regulator (40) of the system (1), which is configured to adjust a volumetric flow (60) of the working gas through the first opening (12) from a working gas source (50) into the discharge space (10). The flow regulator (40) is further configured to assume at least a first state and a second state, wherein, in the first state, no working gas from the working gas source (50) is supplied to the discharge space (10), such that no plasma (5) exits the second opening (14) even if an electromagnetic field is generated in the discharge space (10). In the second state, the working gas from the working gas source (50) is supplied to the discharge space (10), plasma (5) is generated in the discharge space (10), and the plasma (5, 6) exits through the second opening (14).
2. The system (1) according to Claim 1 is characterized in that it comprises at least one ground electrode (22), wherein the at least one high-voltage electrode (20) and the at least one ground electrode (22) are configured to generate an electromagnetic field for creating a plasma (5) in the discharge space (10).
3. The system (1) according to any of Claims 1 or 2 is characterized in that it is configured to produce a modulation of the plasma (5) through a corresponding modulation of the volumetric flow (60) of the working gas, particularly exclusively through such a modulation and not through a modulation of the electromagnetic field. Specifically, the system (1) is configured to generate only a continuous electromagnetic field in the discharge space (10).
4. The system (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 3 is characterized in that it is configured to switch the flow regulator (40) from the first state to the second state, so that plasma (5) is generated in the discharge space (10) and exits through the second opening (14) when an electromagnetic field is generated in the discharge space (10). Additionally, it is configured to switch the flow regulator (40) from the second state to the first state, so that no plasma (5) exits the discharge space (10) even when an electromagnetic field is generated in the discharge space (10).
5. The system (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 4 is characterized in that the flow regulator (40) comprises an active or passive actuator configured to assume at least the first or the second state. The passive actuator can particularly be switched from the first state to the second state by the volumetric flow (60) of the working gas.

Note:
The patent claims have been translated from German to English.