Electrical Parameters of Nanosecond Dielectric Barrier Discharges (nsDBD)

In this study, an electrical device is proposed to generate plasmas in the nanosecond dielectric barrier discharge (nsDBD) configuration and to measure the electrical parameters of the discharge over a large bandwidth. Electrical parameters were experimentally determined using a common dielectric barrier discharge equivalent circuit extended here to high frequencies. An efficient synchronization procedure based on a comparison to circuit simulation results was proposed. Discharge current pulses with rise times less than 1 ns and amplitudes up to 50 A were measured. The energy deposited into the plasma and the discharge resistance were determined as a function of time. In addition, circuit simulations support the experimental approach. The nsDBD was accurately modeled by a resistance of the plasma channel following a Rompe and Weizel law in series with resistance for the discharge spreading along the dielectric surface and a sheath capacitance.