AVS 50th International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Wednesday Sessions
       Session PS2-WeA

Paper PS2-WeA1
Electrical Characterization and Time-resolved Emission Spectroscopic Studies of Dielectric-barrier Controlled Atmospheric-pressure Glow Discharges in Helium

Wednesday, November 5, 2003, 2:00 pm, Room 315

Session: Atmospheric Plasmas & Micro Discharges
Presenter: J. Shin, The University of Texas at Austin
Authors: J. Shin, The University of Texas at Austin
P.L. Varghese, The University of Texas at Austin
L.L. Raja, The University of Texas at Austin
Correspondent: Click to Email
We report experimental studies of a dielectric-barrier controlled atmospheric-pressure glow (APG) discharge. The study is aimed at providing fundamental understanding APG discharge phenomena in high-purity helium. Electrical characteristics and time-resolved emission spectroscopic diagnostics are used. Dielectric barrier controlled APG discharge phenomena is characterized by a single or multiple current pulse during each half cycle of voltage input to the discharge. We study discharge phenomena under a variety of conditions such as varying gap sizes, operating frequencies and dielectric placement. Significant and random scattering as well as random asymmetries in current pulse shape are observed. We correlate these discharge peculiarities with the time-resolved emission spectroscopic results. In particular, we report spectroscopic observations of discharge condition just prior to glow-to-arc transitions.