Optical investigations of high pressure glow discharges based on MSE arrays

The micro-structure-electrode (MSE) arrays are providing a non-thermal high pressure plasma. These arrays consist of a matrix of holes perforated in a thin multilayer made out of two metallic foils separated by a dielectric. The holes diameter and the thickness of the insulator spacer need to be around 100 μm to allow for the MSE operation at pressure ranging from 0.1 to 1 bar and above. In this work single direct current microdischarges and systems of parallel operated holes in argon at 0.2 bar have been optically investigated. The spatial distribution of the emitted light has been monitored by a digital camera connected to an optical microscope. The UV photon emission has been recorded by a position sensitive photon detector allowing for space and time resolved measurements. Its time resolution of about 1 nsec makes possible the investigation of fast processes, e.g. the constriction of the discharge. Due to its typical position resolution of 100 μm, this detector needs to be used in combination with an optical system allowing for the magnification of the discharge area. The optical appearance show a stable, volume filling glow discharge, fact proved also by the typical current-voltage characteristic