Phase-resolved modeling of a filamentary argon plasma in an RF plasma jet

A phase-resolved, spatially two-dimensional fluid model is used to investigate the argon plasma in the active zone and in the effluent of an RF plasma jet at atmospheric pressure. The results obtained disclose the influence of the gas flow on the establishment of the filament between both RF electrodes. Pronounced asymmetric profiles have been obtained for species densities and other quantities characterizing the plasma state. The asymmetry concerns also the generation of striations which are excited with large amplitude at the upstream side of the inter-electrode gap followed by a spatial relaxation in downstream direction.