Atmospheric pressure streamer and glow-discharge generated alternately by pin-to-plane dielectric barrier discharge in air

Abstract

Performance of producing a high energy electron can be improved, if the glow discharge is generated in a system of dielectric barrier discharge. In this paper, different discharge modes of pin-to-plane dielectric barrier discharge are investigated in atmospheric pressure. Different discharge modes are observed in the positive half-period and negative half-period of the discharge. When and applied voltage is 3 kV, a streamer mode appear in the positive half-period and a corona (or Trichel discharge) mode occurs in negative half-period. When the applied voltage is 6 kV, a streamer emerges in the positive half-period and a micro glow discharge is present in the negative half-period. The micro glow discharge has hierarchical structure like that typical low pressure glow discharge produces. The generation of micro glow discharge is due to, enough strong cathode electric field strength and effective secondary electron emission process around naked negative electrode. The glow discharge transforming to arc discharge is avoided due to dielectric layer.