Characterization and investigation of the unique plasma behavior caused by variable driving frequencies in the formation of cold atmospheric plasma

Abstract

The study presents the characterization of a novel variable frequency (11–50 kHz) Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet (APPJ) source and comparison of the results with 13.56 MHz source, in terms of species generation and species temperature. The behavior of variable frequency APPJ at different frequency regimes was investigated using optical emission spectroscopy to understand the interaction with the ambient environment. The quantitative dependence of the radical generation on driving frequency and time of treatment was also analyzed by direct synthesis of H2O2 by plasma-water interaction. The plasma formed with a kHz driving frequency had a low treatment temperature, which was suitable for biological species, but the plasma generated with a 13.56 MHz driving frequency had a substantially higher radical density than the kHz plasma. As a result, the APPJ device's ability to tune the radical density and treatment temperature with a change in kHz frequency has been demonstrated.