Steering of surface discharges on through-glass-vias combined with high-density nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma generation

Abstract

The concept of using a glass substrate with fine through-holes filled with metal, called through-glass-vias (TGVs), for an inner wall of an enclosure of a nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma source was validated to extend its processing area with high plasma densities maintained. When applying the TGV substrate into an inner wall of the plasma source, the generated discharge was less likely to drift along with the gas flow, which resembled the behavior of locally high electric fields of the plasma source, called the creeping mode. The decrease in breakdown voltage was also observed. These phenomena are caused by the TGV areas acting as a steering control material in the enclosure of the plasma source. The location of the TGV areas affected the behavior of the generated plasma. The shape of the plasma was accomplished to arbitrarily and locally control by the placement of TGVs.