Coplanar ac discharges between cylindrical electrodes with a nanoporous alumina dielectric: Modular dielectric barrier plasma devices

Dielectric barrier discharges between coplanar Al rods having an /spl sim/2-/spl mu/m-thick layer of nanoporous alumina dielectric at the surface have been investigated. Rods 3 mm in diameter, 7 cm in length, and spaced by 5 mm produce stable and intense glow discharges in 50 torr of Ne when pairs of rods are driven by an alternating current (bipolar) waveform for which the peak voltage is /spl sim/460-510 V.