Atmospheric pressure RF discharge in neon and helium

Radio frequency (13.56 MHz) capacitive discharges at atmospheric pressure in neon and helium were studied by ICCD imaging. The discharges were generated between parallel plate metal electrodes with a gap of 2 mm. At certain conditions, a homogeneous discharge burning in alpha mode can be generated both in helium and neon. The time-resolved images of discharges reveal similarities in atomic excitation mechanism in both gases.