Large scale Al/Al2O3 microcavity arrays: Atmospheric pressure operation in electronegative gases

Summary form only given. Stable operation of large scale microcavity arrays in various electronegative gases is beneficial for a number of applications such as lighting, surface treatment, and biomedical diagnostics and therapeutics.In this presentation, we report the performance of large scale microplasma arrays having an active area larger than 25 cm² and their operation in gases which require high breakdown voltages. Al/Al₂O₃ electrodes are formed from single or multiple sheets of aluminum foil and the desired crosssectional shape of the microcavities and microchannels are fabricated by the combination of a precisely-controlled electrochemical anodization process and a microfabrication technique. Operational and spectral characteristics of microplasma in gases such as O₂, N₂ and air at atmospheric pressures will be presented.