[Spectral characteristics of different discharge modes in air dielectric barrier discharge].

The electron energy in the transition from streamer discharge to glow-like discharge in dielectric barrier discharge in air was investigated by using emission spectra. The vibrational temperature was measured with the N2 second positive band (C3II(u) --> B3II(g)) of the emission spectrum. The average electron energy was investigated from the relative intensity of the nitrogen molecular ion line at 391.4 nm and the nitrogen molecular line at 337.1 nm. It was found that the vibrational temperature and the relative intensity of nitrogen molecular ion line at 391.4 nm increased abruptly in the transition from streamer discharge to glow-like discharge. It was also found that the pressure for the transition pressure from streamer discharge to glow-like discharge changed with different gap distances, but the product of the transition pressure and gas gap width remained constant.

[Study on energy transfer in argon/air in dielectric barrier discharge by optical emission spectra].

The energy transfer in dielectric barrier discharge in argon/air mixture in a device with water electrodes was investigated by comparing the optical emission spectra in pure argon, argon/air mixture and air. It was observed that the intensities of argon spectral lines in argon/air discharge are all lower than that in argon discharge, which indicates that the nitrogen in air has a quenching effect on the argon excited states. It was found that the decreasing rate of intensity of spectral lines with increasing the air concentration is different. The intensity of ArI 763. 51 nm decreases fastest, the ArI 772.42 nm and ArI 696.54 nm take second place, while the ArI 750.39 nm decreases slowest. Comparing the excitation energy of argon excited state with the excitation energy of nitrogen molecule, the authors found that the smaller the difference between the excitation energy of argon excited state and the excitation energy of nitrogen molecule, the faster the spectral line decreases, implying the stronger the energy transfer. In addition, the additional argon in air makes the emission intensities of nitrogen band of second positive system and band of first negative system increase, which indicates that the excitation of nitrogen is enhanced by the energy transfer from argon through Penning excitation involving argon metastable states. In other words, the component and ratio of gas in the gas mixture influence the optical characteristic and energy transfer peculiarity in the mixed gas discharge. The optical emission spectra measurement as a useful plasma diagnostic tool has been successfully used in the study of energy transfer in the mixed gas discharge, and the results provide a reasonable reference for the underlying industrial applications of different species discharge.

[Influence of pressure on plasma temperature in air/argon dielecteic barrier discharge].

Electron excitation temperature and molecule vibrational temperature in argon/air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at different gas pressure with water electrodes were studied by using optical emission spectra. The spectral lines of Ar I 763. 51 nm(2P6 --> 1S5) and Ar I 772.42 nm(2P2 --> 1S3) were chosen to calculate electron excitation temperature by the relative intensity ratio method. The emission spectra of nitrogen band of second positive system ( C3 pi(u) --> B3 pi(g)) were measured at the same time. The molecule vibration temperature was estimated by the emission intensities of different bands with delta(nu) = -1, delta(nu) = -2, and delta(nU) = -3 in nitrogen band of second positive system, using Boltzmann's plot method. In addition, the relative line intensities of nitrogen (0-0) band of first negative system at 391.4 nm and (0-0) band of second positive system at 337.1 nm were also measured to study the variation of electron energy. It was found that the electron excitation temperature decreased from 4 700 to 3 300 K and the molecule vibrational temperature decreased from 3 200 to 2 900 K with increasing gas pressure from 20 to 60 kPa. Besides, the ratio of I(N2+)/I(N2) also decreased with pressure increasing from 20 to 60 kPa, indicating that the average electron energy decreases with the gas pressure increasing. These results are of great importance to the study of plasma dynamics of dielectric barrier discharge and also to the underlying industrial applications.

[Study on plasma temperature in dielectric barrier discharge at the middle value of pd].

The optical emission spectra of Ar/air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) scanned from 300-800 nm near atmospheric pressure were obtained. Electron excitation temperature (T(exc)) and molecule vibrational temperature (T(v)) in Ar/air DBD at the middle value of pressure-distance (pd) product (about 6.4 x 10(3) Pa x cm) were studied. The ArI 763.51 nm(2P6 --> 1S5) and 772.42 nm(2P2 --> 1S3) lines were chosen to estimate T(exc). T(v) was measured by the N2 second positive band (C 3IIu --> B 3IIg). It was found that T(exc) and T(v) increase with increasing applied voltage. And the varying rate of T(exc) with increasing voltage is bigger than that of T(v).