Modeling of multifilaments formation in dielectric barrier discharge excimer lamp

Formation of multifilaments in dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) excimer lamp has been simulated using two dimensional fluid model. The simulation had started from a small cluster of electron-ion pair in the middle of discharge gap. After the first streamer arrived at the cathode, the discharge expanded on the surface of the dielectric toward the lateral direction until the polarity of the discharge voltage change. The edges of this surface discharge become the start point of next second and third filaments. Within one and half cycles of the discharge voltage waveform, five filaments are formed in stably in 3-cm discharge space.