Spectroscopic measurement of electric field in atmospheric-pressure plasma jet operating in bullet mode

Atmospheric-pressure helium plasma jet operating in the bullet/streamer mode has been studied using optical emission spectroscopy. Electric field strength distribution is measured using Stark polarization spectroscopy of He I 492.19 nm line. It is shown that the electric field is almost constant along the jet axis. Measured electric field distribution is in agreement with theoretical predictions of streamer propagation in helium jets at atmospheric pressure. Obtained radial distribution of the axial electric field shows that the ring-shaped structure of the light emission is a consequence of such electric field distribution. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3653474]