Barrier Discharges in Science and Technology Since 2003: A Tribute and Update

An update to the article “Dielectric-barrier Discharges: Their History, Discharge Physics, and Industrial Applications” by Ulrich Kogelschatz from 2003 is given. The research and applications of barrier discharges of the last decades are summarized. In particular, the latest developments in ozone generation, radiation sources, environmental applications and surface treatment are discussed. Topics, which appeared with growing attention after 2003, such as plasma medicine, carbon dioxide chemistry, liquid treatment and airflow control, are also summarized to provide an outlook into the coming years. It can be stated, that this type of gas discharge is still of high scientific and technological relevance. Its wide range of applications made the research more inter- and cross-disciplinary while modern diagnostic and modeling enabled deeper insights in the complex physical and chemical processes. In this sense, the contribution of Ulrich Kogelschatz, who introduced and inspired several generations of researchers in the field, cannot be overstated.