Microplasma discharge devices

We are working in collaboration with Prof. Gary Eden and Prof. Sung-Jin Park in the ECE Department at Illinois to apply flexible plastic microfabrication methods to produce large-area arrays of microplasmas on transparent materials. These miniature light sources can be 400 times smaller than a pixel from a typical plasma television and can operate close to atmospheric pressure. We are investigating the fundamental plasma physics that occurs at this unprecedented size scale and exploring applications in the fields of optical displays, photomedicine, and chemical analysis.

A transparent and flexible 250x250 pixel microplasma discharge array operating with neon gas at 700 torr. Each pixel is ~10x smaller area than a typical plasma television pixel.
A transparent and flexible 250×250 pixel microplasma discharge array operating with neon gas at 700 torr. Each pixel is ~10x smaller area than a typical plasma television pixel.

 

A microplasma channel (100 micron width) operated with neon gas. The letters are connected by narrow gas channels that do not ignite under the applied voltage.

 

A spiral microplasma channel having a length of 1 m and transverse dimensions of 150 by 80 µm2.
A spiral microplasma channel having a length of 1 m and transverse dimensions of 150 by 80 µm2.

References

  1. “Microplasma devices and arrays fabricated by plastic-based replica molding,” M. Lu, S.-J. Park, J.G. Eden, and B.T. Cunningham, JMEMS, Vol. 16, No. 6, 1397-1402, 2007.
  2. “Low temperature plasma channels generated in microcavity trenches with widths 20-150 um and aspect rations as large as 10000:1,” M. Lu, S.-J. Park, B.T. Cunningham, and J.G. Eden, Applied Physics Letters,Vol. 92, No. 10, 101928, 2008.
  3. “Transparent Plastic Microplasma Flexible Light Sources,” M. Lu, S.-J. Park, J.G. Eden, and B.T. Cunningham, IEEE LEOS Conference, Montreal, Canada, October 2006.