Measurement of electric field development in dielectric barrier discharge in helium

Abstract

In this paper the diffuse dielectric barrier discharge in helium was investigated using electrical measurements and time-space resolved optical emission spectroscopy. Electric field strength was measured using Stark polarization emission spectroscopy. Investigations were performed at 200 and 800 mbar pressures. It was found that the electric field strength was higher at the higher pressure while cathode fall length was shorter. During the whole discharge development period the length of the cathode fall region decreases. An interesting result is that in the period of current decrease, the maximum of the electric field distribution shifts away from the cathode showing the accumulation of negative charge near the cathode surface. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.