Gap-dependent arrangements of dielectric barrier discharges in open air

Investigations of the structural arrangement of the atmospheric filamentary discharges were carried out. By observing the initial discharge events, we find that the surface charge plays a significant role of seeding electrons. The filamentary discharges show ordered and disordered patterns in parallel plates with different gap distances. A critical gap distance for an ordered pattern is found at about 700 μm. The transition of the order-disorder discharge pattern is also confirmed in a wedged-plates setup with a continuous change of gap distance. The bond-orientational function of the structure of the pattern is related to the mutual Coulomb interaction between discharges