Optical diagnostics in dielectric barrier discharges at atmospheric pressure

Our recent work on optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and laser-induced fluorescence (LW) applied to dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at atmospheric pressure (ATP) is reported. The interplay of discharge kinetics and diagnostic techniques features is evidenced, with emphasis on collision processes that, with their variety of state-to-state characteristics and rate constants, determine the observation of a peculiar collision-dominated non-equilibrium system.