Direct current glow discharges in atmospheric air

Direct current glow discharges have been operated in atmospheric air by usi ng 100 mu m microhollow cathode discharges as plasma cathodes. The glow dis charges were operated at currents of up to 22 mA, corresponding to current densities of 3.8 A/cm(2) and at average electric fields of 1.2 kV/cm. Elect ron densities in the glow are in the range from 10(12) to 10(13) cm(-3). Va rying the current of the microhollow cathode discharge allows us to control the current in the atmospheric pressure glow discharge. Large volume atmos pheric pressure air plasmas can be generated by operating microhollow catho de discharges in parallel. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6 951(99)01425-4].