APPEARANCE OF STABLE GLOW-DISCHARGE IN AIR, ARGON, OXYGEN AND NITROGEN AT ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE USING A 50-HZ SOURCE

Unusual glow discharges in air, argon, oxygen and nitrogen at atmosphe ric pressure can be produced using a 50 Hz source. This technique is i ntroduced on the basis of the idea of a lower dielectric breakdown vol tage gas. The electrode system, which is composed of a fine metal wire mesh of specified radius and a dielectric substance, is very useful f or plasma surface processes and for chemical reactions in the plasma b ulk. The observations of the Lissajous figure of voltage-electric char ges and of the current pulse shapes are proposed as a method of distin guishing between the atmospheric pressure glow plasma and the silent e lectric discharge.