Experimental investigation of the effect of an axial magnetic field on dielectric barrier discharge with jet configuration at low pressures

In this study, the properties of magnetized argon dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at low gas pressure (∼mTorr) in a jet configuration were experimentally investigated. An external magnetic field (≲0.1 T) was applied in the jet's axial direction for discharges enhancements, and two distinct discharge states were identified in the operation space defined by the magnetic field strength and flow rate of argon gas injection. One discharge state named “DBD-like state”, which was characterized by spikey waveforms of the electrode current, was realized at a high flow rate in a magnetic field lower than a threshold. The other discharge state named CCP (capacitively coupled plasma)-like state, which was characterized by sawtooth waveforms of the current, was produced at a low flow rate in a magnetic field higher than the threshold. The transition was explained by a change in electron transport property associated with the discharge current. Observably, while diffusion perpendicular to the magnetic field is dominant in DBD-like states, parallel motions are dominant in CCP-like states.