Generation and Electrical Diagnostic of an Atmospheric-Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge

In this paper, the author develops a method of generation and characterization using an electrical model of a dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure. The principle of plasma generation is based on the resonant behavior of the secondary circuit of a modified flyback transformer, with the working frequency being 48 kHz. The plasma chamber is made of glass, and the working gas is helium with a flow rate of 0.44 L/min. The study refers to the homogeneous stage of the discharge which is characterized by a maximum power density of 6.4 W/cm³, electron current densities lower than 1.23 mA/cm², and electron number densities in the range of 7.5 · 10⁸ to 2.7 · 10⁹ cm^-3, depending on the dc supply voltage. The gas temperature is slightly higher than the ambient one, with the plasma being nonaggressive with thermosensitive materials.