Generation of field-emitting surface dielectric barrier discharges in Ar and N2

Field-emitting modes of surface dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) have been generated thus far only in high-pressure CO2, including its liquid and supercritical phases, and in silicone oil. In this study, a generalized discussion with a one-dimensional Townsend-based theory is proposed to predict the accessibility of the field-emitting mode in various media. The field-emitting modes of surface DBDs are demonstrated experimentally in high-density Ar and N2 using Fowler–Nordheim coordinates and image observations.