Electron current extraction from radio frequency excited micro-dielectric barrier discharges
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Ave., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States)
- Hewlett Packard Research Labs, Palo Alto, California 94304 (United States)
Micro dielectric barrier discharges (mDBDs) consist of micro-plasma devices (10-100 {mu}m diameter) in which the electrodes are fully or partially covered by dielectrics, and often operate at atmospheric pressure driven with radio frequency (rf) waveforms. In certain applications, it may be desirable to extract electron current out of the mDBD plasma, which necessitates a third electrode. As a result, the physical structure of the m-DBD and the electron emitting properties of its materials are important to its operation. In this paper, results from a two-dimensional computer simulation of current extraction from mDBDs sustained in atmospheric pressure N{sub 2} will be discussed. The mDBDs are sandwich structures with an opening of tens-of-microns excited with rf voltage waveforms of up to 25 MHz. Following avalanche by electron impact ionization in the mDBD cavity, the plasma can be expelled from the cavity towards the extraction electrode during the part of the rf cycle when the extraction electrode appears anodic. The electron current extraction can be enhanced by biasing this electrode. The charge collection can be controlled by choice of rf frequency, rf driving voltage, and permittivity of the dielectric barrier.
- OSTI ID:
- 22102216
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 113, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2013 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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