Variation in guided streamer propagation along a DBD plasma jet by tailoring the applied voltage waveform

Abstract

Experimental data on the evolution of a helium atmospheric pressure plasma jet driven by two different voltage waveforms are presented. The characteristics of directed ionization waves (guided streamers) were compared for a sinusoidal voltage waveform with a frequency of 52 kHz and a voltage waveform that was formed via the superposition of 41.6 kHz bipolar square pulses and 300 kHz oscillations. With the sinusoidal voltage, two consecutive ionization waves were observed. With a special tailoring voltage, control of the guided streamer propagation in a stepwise mode was achieved. The observed second streamer and the second step of propagation could be regarded as a secondary ionization wave for both voltages. A change in the voltage waveform led to significant variations in the secondary ionization wave formation and streamer parameters. The voltage waveform enabled the number of ionization waves and their propagation to change, which provided the possibility of controlling the plasma parameters of the jet.