Investigations on two Different Kinds of Homogeneous Barrier Discharges at Atmospheric Pressure

Transient gas discharges, known as micro- or barrier discharges, occur at atmospheric pressure between electrodes, where at least one electrode is covered with a dielectric barrier. These discharges consist generally of a great number of filaments in parallel. It has been demonstrated in the past that homogeneous barrier discharges can also be established in special electrode arrangements and in limited working domains at atmospheric pressure without any filaments. In order to improve the stability and the working domain of homogeneous discharges, the spatial and temporal behaviour is studied by means of two different barrier discharge arrangements. The charge, the current and the electric power of the discharges have been recorded. Their time-current evolution differ significantly. While the first type shows one short nanosecond pulse in the range of several amperes per half period, the second is characterised by a steady milliampere current in the 100 µs time scale. 1