Numerical simulation of the argon dielectric barrier discharge driven by dual frequency at atmospheric pressure

Abstract

Argon dielectric barrier discharge driven by the dual frequency at atmospheric pressure has been investigated by a 1D fluid model. Temporal evolutions of voltage and charge density on dielectric surface, fluxes of electrons and ions on the surface, the spatiotemporal distribution of electron generation rate, and the spatial distribution of electron density are studied with various low-frequency (LF) voltages. Minimum sustained discharge amplitude of high frequency (HF) voltage and spatiotemporal mean electron density over one LF period varying with sheath voltage (α → γ) are also discussed. Results show that in α mode, the electron flux on the dielectric surface decreases significantly when the LF voltage amplitude is lower while the ion flux is less affected. The positive charge density on the surface increases, causing the surface voltage waveform to shift upward. When the LF voltage amplitude is 40 V and that of HF voltage is 87 V, the positive and negative values of voltage amplitude of dielectric surface are 182 and 32 V. As the LF voltage amplitude increases further, the sheath formation time is significantly delayed and the discharge terminates, and the rate of electron generation decreases significantly. The discharge is extinguished when the amplitude of LF voltage is 68 V while it regains when the amplitude reaches up to 750 V. In γ mode, when the amplitude of HF voltage reaches or exceeds its minimum sustained discharge value, the generation and distribution of electrons are almost unaffected by the amplitude of LF voltage.