Generation of large-volume, atmospheric-pressure, nonequilibrium plasmas

A review is presented of the issues associated with the generation of large -volume, high-pressure, nonequilibrium plasmas, as well as the approaches t hat have been developed for generating these plasmas using electrical disch arges in gases. The various instabilities that have been overcome to obtain ed these plasmas as well as the techniques for quenching them are also revi ewed. Last, recent efforts to obtain atmospheric pressure plasmas are discu ssed with particular emphasis on the capillary plasma electrode discharge, which we have used to obtain high (electron) density nonequilibrium plasmas .