Investigation of a repetitive single-filament dielectric barrier discharge in atmospheric-pressure air

Abstract

A fundamental understanding of repetitive dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is crucial for advancing plasma physics and related applications. This study investigates a single-filament DBD driven by a sinusoidal voltage at 100 kHz in atmospheric-pressure air. The repetitive filamentary discharge is simulated using a simplified two-dimensional plasma fluid model, complemented by one‐dimensional simplified and kinetic models as well as experiments. The simulated current reproduces the experimental feature of a single discharge pulse per positive and negative half‐cycle, with reasonable discharge phase agreement. The transition processes from the first discharge to the periodic steady state are revealed by the model. Steady-state volumetric and surface streamers show distinctly different shapes and densities from the first discharge due to the memory effects. An asymmetric single-period state and a ‘bistable’ phenomenon relying on the initial electron density are observed. The key factors influencing current symmetry are found to include photoionization, ion dynamics (e.g. mobility and ion-ion recombination processes), and electron detachment. This study provides deeper insights into the evolution mechanism of repetitive streamers in air DBD and highlights the role of ion dynamics in asymmetric discharge behavior.