Factors influencing the existence of the homogeneous dielectric barrier discharge in air at atmospheric pressure

The characteristics of homogeneous discharge are studied and compared with those of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) by measuring their electrical discharge parameters and observing their light-emission phenomena. Several factors, including the voltage amplitude, gap distance, electrode configuration and barrier thickness, are experimentally studied to see their effects on the transition of the homogeneous discharge from the stable mode to the unstable mode. The results show that the homogeneous discharge exists only under certain conditions. The important role of the mesh for obtaining the homogeneous discharge is identified through experiments. It is found that the voltage range for maintaining a stable discharge is wider when the barrier thickness is smaller, the gap distance is shorter and the mesh number is greater. It is thought that the corona discharge produced by the wire mesh together with the property of the PET barrier can cause accumulation of charges on the barrier surface, which may provide initial electrons leading to the burst of the homogeneous discharge in the whole air gap when a certain threshold value of the electric field (breakdown value) is exceeded. In view of this assumption, the experimental results for the effects of these factors on the stability of the homogeneous discharge can be qualitatively interpreted.