Dielectric-barrier discharges. Principle and applications

Dielectric-barrier discharges (silent discharges) are non-equilibrium discharges that can be conveniently operated over a wide temperature and pressure range. At about atmospheric pressure electrical breakdown occurs in many independent thin current filaments. These short-lived microdischarges have properties of transient high pressure glow discharges with electron energies ideally suited for exciting or dissociating background gas atoms and molecules. The traditional application for large-scale ozone generation is discussed together with novel applications in excimer UV lamps, high power CO2 lasers and plasma display panels. Additional applications for surface treatment and pollution control are rapidly emerging technologies. Recent results on greenhouse gas recycling and utilisation in dielectric-barrier discharges are also discussed.