Linear arrays of stable atmospheric pressure microplasmas

Microdischarges produce cold atmospheric plasma when the discharge current is limited by the quenching of a microwave resonator. A quarter-wavelength microstripline resonator is shown to support stable atmospheric microplasma in pure argon. Electrical characterization of the microplasma shows that its impedance is resistive and capacitive (Z(p) = 500-j900 Omega). An array of these linear resonators generates a stable, line-shaped microplasma operating from a single power source due to close-coupling among adjacent resonators. Both simulations and experiments confirm that coupled-mode theory describes the collective behavior of linear microplasma arrays. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3251793]