Multiple plasma bullet behavior of an atmospheric-pressure plasma plume driven by a pulsed dc voltage

Abstract

The dynamics of an atmospheric-pressure plasma plume generated in a controlled gas environment are studied. It is found that, at a particular pulse width, two or three plasma bullets are generated in each voltage pulse for both positive and negative voltage pulses. The velocities of the multiple bullets are more than four and less than fourteen times those in the case of a single bullet, for positive and negative voltage pulses, respectively. A detailed analysis shows that the charges carried by the bullets probably play an important role in the propagation of plasma bullets and in the formation of multiple bullets. It is found that the electrode polarity also plays an important role in the generation and propagation of multiple plasma bullets.