Short Pulse Waveform for Improvement of Light Emission Efficiency in Dielectric Barrier Discharges

In this study, we propose a new waveform to improve the emission efficiency of Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) devices. Previous research has used short pulses to enhance efficiency; however, this approach shows a decrease in efficiency when the inactive period shortens. This paper explores the reasons behind the efficiency degradation during short inactive periods and proposes a new waveform approach to address this issue. The Descending Stair Pulse (DSP) waveform suppresses self-extinction discharge, increases wall voltage, and maintains discharge during the pulse width, but does not significantly contribute to efficiency improvement. On the other hand, the Ascending Stair Pulse (ASP) waveform employs auxiliary pulses during the inactive period to reverse the polarity of the wall voltage, inducing discharge delay and maintaining relatively high efficiency even with shorter inactive periods. Experimental results show that the ASP waveform achieves up to almost twofold increase in efficiency compared to the conventional waveform, demonstrating potential applicability for high-frequency and narrow-pulse DBD devices.