Filamentary nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharge. Plasma properties in the filaments

Streamer-to-filament transition is a general feature of nanosecond discharges at elevated pressure. The transition is observed in different discharges by different groups: in the nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharges (nSDBDs) in a single shot regime at high pressure (2–15 bar), in the point-to-point or point-to-plane open electrodes discharges at high repetitive frequency (so-called nanosecond repetitive pulsed discharges, NRPDs) at atmospherics pressure. The present paper contains experimental analysis of plasma properties in the filamentary nSDBD: the electrical current, the specific deposited energy, the electron density and the electron temperature were measured for a wide range of pressures and voltages. A model explaining plasma properties in filamentary nanosecond discharges and the role of excited species in streamer-to-filament transition is suggested and discussed.