Influence of the Surface Conductivity on the Stability of a Glow Dielectric-Barrier Discharge

The aim of this paper is to illustrate how a noninsulating surface in contact with a glow dielectric-barrier discharge induces the formation of microdischarges. Short-exposure-time pictures synchronized with the discharge show that microdischarges only occur when the conducting surface is on the cathode side and their duration is on the order of 5 mus. This long duration is confirmed by surface scanning-electron-microscopy imaging.