Charge Transfer in Constricted Form of Surface Barrier Discharge at Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract

This paper presents experimental data characterizing surface dielectric barrier discharge morphology and dynamics of electric charge transfer over a dielectric surface in atmospheric air using the single polarity and alternating-polarity of the supplied voltage. The experiments were performed using microsecond-scale bursts of high-voltage pulses. Diagnostics included electrical measurements, synchronized gate camera imaging, optical emission spectroscopy, and a set of original charge sensors. Two basic modes were analyzed: diffusive and filamentary, appearing in the result of the discharge contraction. In a single-polarity discharge, the surface charge accumulation limits energy coupled to the plasma by subsequent pulses, whereas the alternating-polarity pulsing, accompanied by the constricted form of plasma, leads to a significant extension in the charged surface area and an increase in power deposition.