Summarizing results on the performance of a selective set of atmospheric plasma jets for separation of photons and reactive particles

A microscale atmospheric-pressure plasma jet is a remote plasma jet, where plasma-generated reactive particles and photons are involved in substrate treatment. Here, we summarize our efforts to develop and characterize a particle- or photon-selective set of otherwise identical jets. In that way, the reactive species or photons can be used separately or in combination to study their isolated or combined effects to test whether the effects are additive or synergistic. The final version of the set of three jets—particle-jet, photon-jet and combined jet—is introduced. This final set realizes the highest reproducibility of the photon and particle fluxes, avoids turbulent gas flow, and the fluxes of the selected plasma-emitted components are almost identical in the case of all jets, while the other component is effectively blocked, which was verified by optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Schlieren-imaging and a fluid dynamics simulation show the stability of the gas flow. The performance of these selective jets is demonstrated with the example of the treatment of E. coli bacteria with the different components emitted by a He-only, a He/N₂ and a He/O₂ plasma. Additionally, measurements of the vacuum UV photon spectra down to the wavelength of 50 nm can be made with the photon-jet and the relative comparison of spectral intensities among different gas mixtures is reported here. The results will show that the vacuum UV photons can lead to the inactivation of the E.coli bacteria. (paper)