Study a compound orthorhombic lattice pattern in dielectric barrier discharge

The compound orthorhombic lattice pattern which is composed of the bright spot and the dim spot is observed for the first time in a dielectric barrier discharge system. It is found that the dim spot is located at the gravity center of the surrounding three bright spots. The discharge bifurcates from a square lattice, hexagon pattern to compound orthorhombic lattice pattern and finally changes to an irregular pattern. The phase diagram of the pattern types as a function of the applied voltage and the argon concentration is given. The spatio-temporal dynamics of the pattern is studied by the time correlation measurement and the high speed video camera images. Results show that the dim spot is formed by both volume discharge and surface discharge induced by the bright spot. The differences of plasma parameters between the bright spots and the dim spots obtained by optical emission spectroscopy verify that the dim spot is formed by both volume discharge and surface discharge. To better understand the mechanism of firing of the dim spots for the same conditions as in the first phase diagram, the phase diagram of the mechanism of firing of the dim spots as a function of the gas pressure and the argon concentration is given. The simulation of the electric fields of wall charges accumulated by bright spots further verifies that the bright spot has an effect on the formation of dim spot. Published by AIP Publishing.