Effects of DC bias voltages on the RF-excited plasma–tissue interaction

Abstract

We present in this study how DC bias voltage impacts on the fluxes of reactive species on the skin tissue by means of a plasma–tissue interaction model. The DC bias voltage inputs less than 2% of the total discharge power, and hence it has little influence on the whole plasma characteritics including the volume-averaged densities of reactive species and the heating effect. However, it pushes the plasma bulk towards the skin surface, which significantly changes the local plasma characteristics in the vicinity of the skin surface, and in consequence remarkably enhances the flux densities of reactive species on the skin tissue. With the consideration of plasma dosage and heat damage on the skin tissue, DC bias voltage is a better approach compared with the common approach of increasing the plasma power. Since the DC voltage is easy to apply on the human body, it is a promising approach for use in clincial applications.