Characteristics of nanosecond-pulse atmospheric pressure plasma jet

In the experiments, with the use of a single needle electrode, atmospheric pressure plasma jets are excited by a repetitive unipolar nanosecond-pulse generator, with working gases such as helium, argon, nitrogen and air. The results show that the jet length increases with the rise of applied voltage; as the flow rate of working gas increases, the length of jet becomes gradually longer and then reduces gradually to saturation after a certain flow rate due to turbulence. In addition, the plasma jets of different working gases have very different appearances. Helium and argon gas jets are needle-like, and the longest jet length is over 7 cm; whereas in nitrogen and in air, the jet is no more than 2 cm long, of brush-like mode.