L Mangolini et al 2004 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 37 1021 doi:10.1088/0022-3727/37/7/012
L Mangolini, C Anderson, J Heberlein and U Kortshagen
Show affiliationsThe influence of the dielectric barrier on the discharge regime of a uniform atmospheric pressure glow discharge is studied through fast, time-resolved imaging of the discharge optical emission and by a one-dimensional fluid model. The experiments show that the discharge regime can be adjusted over a wide range from a glow-like regime with a pronounced Faraday dark space and positive column to a Townsend-like discharge regime in which those features are absent. The determining factor for the discharge regime is the current limitation through the dielectric. Results of the one-dimensional fluid model confirm this observation. The fluid model also indicates that metastable helium atoms generated during a discharge pulse contribute significantly to the pre-ionization of the gas before the next breakdown through Penning ionization of nitrogen impurities.
52.80.Dy Low-field and Townsend discharges
52.25.Mq Dielectric properties
Issue 7 (7 April 2004)
Received 11 December 2003
Published 17 March 2004
L Mangolini et al 2004 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 37 1021