Direct current glow discharges in atmospheric air

Abstract

Direct current glow discharges have been operated in atmospheric air by using 100 μm microhollow cathode discharges as plasma cathodes. The glow discharges were operated at currents of up to 22 mA, corresponding to current densities of 3.8 A/cm2 and at average electric fields of 1.2 kV/cm. Electron densities in the glow are in the range from 1012 to 1013 cm−3. Varying the current of the microhollow cathode discharge allows us to control the current in the atmospheric pressure glow discharge. Large volume atmospheric pressure air plasmas can be generated by operating microhollow cathode discharges in parallel.