Concentric-ring structures in an atmospheric pressure helium dielectric barrier discharge

This paper performs a numerical simulation of concentric-ring discharge structures within the scope of a two-dimensional diffusion–drift model at atmospheric pressure between two parallel circular electrodes covered with thin dielectric layers. With a relative high frequency the discharge structures present different appearances of ring structures within different radii in time due to the evolvement of the filaments. The spontaneous electron density distributions help understanding the formation and development of self-organized discharge structures. During a cycle the electron avalanches are triggered by the electric field strengthened by the feeding voltage and the residual charged particles on the barrier surface deposited in the previous discharges. The accumulation of charges is shown to play a dominant role in the generation and annihilation of the discharge structures. Besides, the rings split and unify to bring and annihilate rings which form a new discharge structure.