Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics

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 Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 51 (2018) 155204 (8pp) https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/aab4c0

Controlled generation of a single Trichel

pulse and a series of single Trichel pulses
in air
Jerzy Mizeraczyk1, Artur Berendt2 and Yuri Akishev3,4
1
  Department of Marine Electronics, Gdynia Maritime University, Morska 81-87, 81-225 Gdynia, Poland
2
  Institute of Fluid Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Sciences, Fiszera 14, 80-231 Gdansk, Poland
3
  SRC RF TRINITI, Pushkovykh Str., vladenie 12, Troitsk, Moscow 108840, Russia
4
  National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Kashirskoe sh.-32, Moscow 115409, Russia

E-mail: jmiz@imp.gda.pl

Received 24 August 2017, revised 27 February 2018

Accepted for publication 7 March 2018
Published 23 March 2018

Abstract
In this paper, a simple method for the controlled generation of a single Trichel pulse or a series
of single Trichel pulses of a regulated repetition frequency in air is proposed. The concept of
triggering a single Trichel pulse or a series of such pulses is based on the precise controlling
the voltage inception of the negative corona, which can be accomplished through the use
of a ramp voltage pulse or a series of such pulses with properly chosen ramp voltage pulse
parameters (rise and fall times, and ramp voltage pulse repetition frequency). The proposal
has been tested in experiments using a needle-to-plate electrode arrangement in air, and
reproducible Trichel pulses (single or in a series) were obtained by triggering them with an
appropriately designed voltage waveform. The proposed method and results obtained have
been qualitatively analysed. The analysis provides guidance for designing the voltage ramp
pulse in respect of the generation of a single Trichel pulse or a series of single Trichel pulses.
The controlled generation of a single Trichel pulse or a series of such pulses would be a
helpful research tool for the refined studies of the fundamental processes in a negative corona
discharge in a single- (air is an example) and multi-phase gaseous fluids. The controlled
generation of a single Trichel pulse or a series of Trichel pulses can also be attractive for those
corona treatments which need manipulation of the electric charge and heat portions delivered
by the Trichel pulses to the object.

Keywords: DC corona discharge, needle-to-plate electrode, Trichel pulse,

negative corona discharge

(Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)

1. Introduction
It is known that the negative corona discharge in the needle-
to-plate electrode arrangement in air at the corona voltage
threshold usually consists of irregular pulses having a repeti-
tion rate in the kilohertz range. A small increase in voltage
results in the establishment of regular current pulses having
their amplitudes in the milliamps range. The frequency of the
regular pulses can extend to the megahertz range. These kind
of negative corona current pulses are known as Trichel pulses,
after Trichel who observed them for the first time in 1938
[1]. A single regular Trichel pulse has the form of a sharp
current increase (usually lasting nanoseconds, followed by a
relatively long low-current tail (of hundred nano­seconds) [2].
The properties of Trichel pulses have been comprehensively
described in many regular papers, textbooks and reviews
[3–7].
The younger of these publications, as well as many regular
papers published after 1974, have referred to a work of Lama
and Gallo [8], who analytically summarised and exper­imentally

1361-6463/18/155204+8$33.00 1 © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd  Printed in the UK

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 51 (2018) 155204
Figure 1.  Development of Trichel pulses after inception: (a) the
first Trichel pulse, (b) transient regime of the Trichel pulse train,
(c) steady-state regime of the Trichel pulse train. The applied
voltage amplitude is—14 kV, the needle-to-plane gap and the needle
tip radius are 25 mm and 130 µm, respectively (our additional
measurement, the capacitive current was filtered out).
verified the basic properties of Trichel pulses in air (in the
needle-to-plate electrode geometry). The work of Lama and
Gallo concerned analysis of the so-called steady-state regular
Trichel pulses having the form of a train of similar cur­rent
pulses (similar to those shown in figure  1). However, later
refined studies showed that Trichel pulses exhibit some pecu-
liar characteristics at the moment of their inception. After trig-
gering the negative corona with a voltage clearly but not much
higher than the corona inception voltage, a transient regime
of generation of Trichel pulses starts (experimental works
[9–11]). The Trichel pulses begin with a first pulse fol-
lowed after a while by a Trichel pulse train (figure 1). The
amplitude and duration of the first Trichel pulse, as well as
its electric charge, are substantially larger than those of the
following pulses. The parameters of the first following pulses
are unsteady. The cur­rent pulse magnitude and the time
interval between the successive pulses vary with time until
they develop into a steady regular sequence of Trichel pulses
having the same param­eters. Therefore, it is convenient to
distinguish two parts of the Trichel pulse train (which comes
after the first pulse): the transient part with irregular pulses
and the steady-state part with regular pulses.
Based on the experimental [9–11] and numerical [12–17]
results, a commonly accepted explanation of the basic mech­
anisms of development of Trichel pulses, including the first
Trichel pulse and the train of Trichel pulses, has been estab-
lished. The differences between the first Trichel pulse and
those of the Trichel pulse train are explained by the fact that the
first Trichel pulse is generated in an electric charge-free space.
There are not any negative ion charges in the space capable
of decreasing the electric field in the ionisation region around
the discharge electrode, i.e. around the needle. Therefore,
the first Trichel pulsed is referred to as unquenched. The
first negative charges in the ionisation region form after the
first Trichel pulse inception. As a result, the electric field in
the ionisation region becomes lower than that existing before
the first Trichel pulse generation. So, the lower electric field
2
J Mizeraczyk et al
results in a weaker electron avalanche ionisation generating
fewer electrons and positive ions, and in consequence causing
the lower current magnitude of the following Trichel pulses,
which form the train. The parameters (current magnitude of
the pulses and time interval between them) of the first pulses
in the Trichel pulse train are unsteady. They develop into a
steady regular sequence of Trichel pulses having very sim-
ilar electrical parameters. The time of the transition into the
regime of a regular Trichel pulse train is attributed to the time
needed for the negative ions to build up after the first Trichel
pulse and fill the electrode gap.
Experiments and numerical modelling showed [11, 12]
that the current magnitude of the first Trichel pulse increases
with an increase in the amplitude of the applied voltage,
while the current magnitude of the steady-state pulses in the
Trichel train remains unchanged. The voltage independence
of the current magnitude of the pulses in the Trichel train is
consistent with the earlier findings of Lama and Gallo [8]. It
was already known in the 1950s [3, 18] that the frequency of
the pulses in a Trichel train increases with an increase in the
applied voltage. This was also confirmed in [11, 12].
Despite the long history of the presence of Trichel pulses
in science and in practice, the interest in Trichel pulse fun-
damentals has not declined, mainly due to the increasing
number of new applications of the negative corona discharge
(e.g. in medicine [19, 20], industry [21], and safety issues
[22]). Moreover, Trichel pulses still have the potential for new
applications to be found. This arises from their pulsed nature,
which has not been thoroughly exploited. As early as 1997
and 2005, Akishev et al [11, 15] pointed out that the practical
attractiveness of Trichel pulses lies in their relatively high cur­
rent pulse magnitude and repetition rate, which can still be
enhanced. They proposed controlling the current magnitude
and repetition rate of Trichel pulses by using an air jet in the
corona discharge chamber. Although implementation of their
proposal resulted in an increase in the Trichel pulse current
magnitude and repetition rate, such a method seems to be lim-
ited to those applications in which air jet flow is acceptable.
Here, we propose a simple method for the controlled gen-
eration of a single Trichel pulse and a series of single Trichel
pulses (of regulated repetition rate) in air.
The controlled generation of a single Trichel pulse (or a
series of such pulses) is a helpful experimental tool in refined
studying the fundamental processes (e.g. their time behav-
iour) which occur around the negative corona discharge elec-
trode. Up to now, only the cumulative effect of a Trichel pulse
train (including the first Trichel pulse preceding it), with the
presence of negative ions, could be investigated. The use of
a single Trichel pulse will enable studying negative corona
discharge properties without the presence of negative ions. It
also seems that the single Trichel pulse technique can be used
for the experimental validation of numerical models of nega-
tive corona effects.
Using a single Trichel pulse (or a limited number of single
Trichel pulses) enables transferring a controlled portion of
the electrical charge, mechanical momentum and heat to
the discharge volume or to the target. It offers separation (to
some extend) of the charging and heating effects produced by
J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 51 (2018) 155204
Figure 2.  Experimental set-up.
such a discharge. Examples are: a refined corona treatment in
printing on polymers [23] and non-thermal plasma treatment
of biological materials (e.g. bacteria [24]).
The use of the single Trichel pulse technique could be
attractive for the investigation of negative coronas not only in
air (a single-phase fluid) but also in gaseous multi-phase fluids
[25]. For example, a single Trichel pulse or a controlled series
of such pulses could be useful for refined controlling of the
gaseous two-phase flows.
The single Trichel pulse technique does not require a com-
plex apparatus, which may be considered as its technical merit.
It worth noting an experimental convenience when studying
the effects of a single Trichel pulse (nanosecond time scale)—
synchronisation of the single Trichel pulse inception with the
other equipment used in the experiment is easy.
The successful generation of a single Trichel pulse depends
on the precise control of the inception moment of the negative
corona. Previously, for fixing the negative corona inception
moment, various external methods were used (comprehensive
literature on this subject can be found in [26, 27]). They were:
negative corona triggering by soft x-ray pulses, radioactive β
or γ sources, and UV radiation from mercury lamps, excimer
lamps and lasers. However, these external methods, inconven-
ient to use, were unsatisfactory even when aimed at triggering
regular Trichel pulses.
The concept of triggering a single Trichel pulse presented
in this paper is based on the precise controlling the voltage
inception of the negative corona. The precise setting of the
inception voltage on the discharge electrode can be accom-
plished through the use of a ramp voltage pulse with properly
chosen ramp pulse rise and fall times (an example of such a
pulse is shown in figure 3).
Below, an experiment aimed at the controlled generation of
a single Trichel pulse and a series of single Trichel pulses in
the needle-to-plate electrode arrangement in air is presented. It
will be shown that the controlled generation of a single Trichel
pulse and a series of single Trichel pulses can be achieved
by triggering the negative corona with an appropriate ramp
voltage pulse waveform. The proposed method and results
obtained will be qualitatively analysed. The analysis provides
guidance for designing the voltage ramp pulse in respect of
the generation of a single Trichel pulse or a series of single
Trichel pulses.
3
J Mizeraczyk et al
2.  Experimental set-up
The experimental apparatus for the controlled generation of
single Trichel pulses consisted of a discharge chamber (an
acrylic box with a needle-to-plate electrode arrangement
inside), a digital signal generator, a high voltage amplifier,
two voltage probes and a digital oscilloscope (figure 2).
2.1.  Discharge chamber
The discharge chamber (a sealed acrylic box, L:W:H  =  600
mm: 120 mm: 50 mm) with the needle-to-plate electrode
arrangement was filled with air at atmospheric pressure.
Both the needle and the plate electrodes were made of
stainless-steel. The negative voltage stressed needle electrode
(the discharge electrode) was a rod (1 mm in diameter), the
end of which had a tapered profile with the tip having a radius
of curvature of 75 µm. The inter-electrode gap was 25 mm.
The plate electrode was grounded.
2.2.  Power supply and measuring equipment
The negative high voltage was supplied by a high voltage
amplifier (Trek, 40/15) which amplified the voltage signal
delivered by a digital signal generator (Tektronix, AFG 3052
C). The negative high voltage was applied to the needle elec-
trode through a 3.3 MΩ resistor. The voltage between the
needle electrode and the plate electrode was measured using
a high-voltage probe (Tektronix, P6015A) and recorded by
a digital oscilloscope (Keysight, DSO 9064A, bandwidth
600 MHz, sampling rate 10 GS s−1). Using a voltage probe
(Agilent, N2873A), the discharge current waveform was mea-
sured as a voltage drop across a 2 kΩ resistor placed between
the plate electrode and the ground. The voltage drop was
recorded by the digital oscilloscope.
3. Results
3.1.  Single Trichel pulse
The first part of the experiment was aimed at the generation
of a single Trichel pulse. The idea was to generate the first
Trichel pulse and avoid the generation of the next Trichel
J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 51 (2018) 155204
Figure 3.  The ramp voltage waveform inducing a single Trichel
pulse.
pulses (in the Trichel pulse train). We expected that this could
be achieved by applying an appropriately designed negative
voltage pulse to the needle electrode. A ramp voltage pulse
with a fast rise time and much faster fall time was chosen to
control its peak value in order to reach the peak voltage at a
value sufficient to generate the first Trichel pulse and to pre-
vent the generation of the next pulses. Following theoretical
recommendations presented in section 4.1, we found that a
negative ramp voltage pulse of an amplitude of about −5.2 kV,
having a rise time of 1 ms and fall time of 0.1 ms (figure 3),
was capable of inducing the single Trichel pulse without any
other pulses (figure 4).
A ramp voltage pulse having the parameters as in figure 3
provided the reproducible generation of a single Trichel pulse.
However, if the amplitude of the negative ramp voltage pulse
was slightly lower (about 50 V) than that inducing a single
Trichel pulse, the single Trichel pulse generation was irreg-
ular. A slightly higher amplitude (about 50 V) usually resulted
in the generation of a shorter or longer Trichel pulse train.
3.2.  Series of single Trichel pulses
In the second part of the experiment, we aimed at the controlled
generation of a series of single Trichel pulses. Following the
experience gained when generating a single Trichel, we tried
with a voltage waveform constituted by a series of five neg-
ative ramp voltage pulses (the limitation to 5 V pulses was
exper­imentally convenient), each ramp voltage pulse having
the same parameters as those shown in figure 3. The frequency
of the ramp voltage pulses was set at 10 Hz. It appeared, how-
ever, that using this voltage with such a voltage waveform
would not produce any series of Trichel pulses. We found that
the first ramp voltage pulse of the voltage pulse series induced
a single Trichel pulse, whereas the following ramp voltage
pulses failed to generate the next Trichel pulses. This can be
explained by the fact that the induced single Trichel pulse pro-
duced a negative ion charge around the discharge electrode,
which failed to drift away before the arrival of the next ramp
voltage pulse. The remaining negative ion charge decreased
the electric field in the ionisation region so effectively that
the oncoming ramp voltage pulse was incapable of producing
4
J Mizeraczyk et al
Figure 4.  Oscillograms showing the current and voltage
waveforms, the induced single Trichel pulse and the capacitive
current. The negative voltage pulse amplitude—5.2 kV, the rise
time—1 ms, and the fall time—0.1 ms.
a Trichel pulse. To solve this problem, we could either give
the negative ions more time to drift sufficiently away from
the ionisation region by elongating the intervals between the
successive ramp voltage pulses (i.e. by decreasing their rep-
etition frequency, which was already low—10 Hz) or speed-
up the removal of the negative ion charge from the ionisation
region by increasing the voltage on the discharge electrode
between the ramp voltage pulses. We chose the latter case and
redesigned the supply voltage waveform by adding a constant
voltage (DC) component.
Therefore, the new voltage waveform applied to the
needle-to-plate electrode consisted of five negative ramp
voltage pulses superimposed onto a DC negative voltage
comp­onent (in order to enhance the negatively charged par-
ticle drift towards the plate electrode between the ramp
voltage pulses)—figure 5. The amplitude of the DC voltage
component was set at −4.4 kV. Having taken into account
calcul­ations presented in section 4.1, the rise time of negative
ramp voltage pulse was changed (compared to that in figure 3)
to 80 ms, while the fall time was, as before, equal to 0.1 ms.
The amplitude of the negative ramp voltage pulse was about
−0.8 kV. Thus, the peak value of the applied voltage was equal
to −5.2 kV, which is the same as during the generation of a
single Trichel pulse in the first part of our experiment. The
frequency of the negative voltage pulses was 10 Hz. We found
that such an applied voltage waveform enabled the generation
of a series of Trichel pulses.
Figure 5 shows the recorded current and voltage waveforms
and the induced series of single Trichel pulses. As it can be
seen from figure 5, each negative ramp voltage pulse induced
a single Trichel pulse. The amplitudes of the Trichel pulses
and their durations are almost the same as in the case of a
single Trichel pulse induced in the first part of our experiment.
In this experiment, we were able to produce a series of
single Trichel pulses of the regulated repetition frequency up
to dozens of hertz. We have not studied this aspect exhaus-
tively. However, any attempt to increase the frequency of a
series of single Trichel pulses has to take into consideration
the limitation arising from the finite drift time of the negative
space charge from the discharge electrode.
J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 51 (2018) 155204 J Mizeraczyk et al

(2) divE = 0.
Solving equation (2) for the case of the needle-to-plane gap
gives the electric field distribution as follows [28]:
2U ∗
E (x) ∼
=  .
(3)
(r0 + 2x) ln 2d
r0

Here, r0 and d are the curvature radius of the needle tip and
length of the inter-electrode gap, respectively. Using the dis-
tribution (3) and the ionisation coefficient αi in Townsend’s
approximation:
   
  Bln 2d
B r0
αi (x) = Aexp − = Aexp − (r0 + 2x) ,
E(x) 2U ∗

where A  =  11 400 cm−1; B  =  277 400 V cm−1 at air pressure

P  =  101.325 kPa [28], one can estimate the size, xi1, of the
Figure 5.  Illustration of the generation of a series of five single
Trichel pulses. The waveforms of the applied voltage and discharge ionisation area at the needle, and the inception voltage, U*,
current (including Trichel and capacitive current pulses) are shown. if we take the magnitude of the critical electric field strength
The negative ramp voltage pulses (amplitude—0.8 kV) were E (xi1 ) ∼
= 30 kV cm−1 [28] and the coefficient of the secondary
superimposed on the DC component (–4.4 kV). The ramp voltage emission γ ∼ = 1.7 · 10−2 . For our experimental conditions,
pulse rise and fall times are 80 ms and 0.1 ms, respectively. The d  =  2.5 cm and r0  =  75 µm. So, the outcome is: xi1  ≈  2.325
frequency of the negative ramp voltage pulses and Trichel pulses is
10 Hz. · 10−2 cm and U*  ≈  5.2 kV, close to the experimentally mea-
sured inception voltage.
4.  Qualitative analysis of the results obtained The ionisation area near the negative needle forms the
cathode layer of the corona. At the very beginning, the voltage
4.1.  Amplitudes of the first and regular Trichel pulses drop across the large ionisation area (0, xi1) significantly
In fact, the first Trichel pulse is induced by ionisation pro- exceeds the voltage drop typical for the normal glow cathode
cesses happening at the very beginning of the appearance of layer (Ucn  ≈  300 V). Indeed:
ˆ xi1 ˆ xi1
a negative corona. It is well known that the needle-to-plane 2U ∗
corona appears after the applied voltage reaches a magnitude Ui1 = E (x) dx =   dx
0 0 (r0 + 2x) ln 2d
of the inception voltage, U*, when the so-called self-sustaining  
r0

condition in the vicinity of the cathode will be fulfilled: U∗ 2xi1 ∼

  =   ln 1 + = 1.6 kV. (4)
ˆ xi1
1 ln 2d r0
∼ r0
(1) α i [E(x)] dx = ln 1 + . 
0 γ
However, with the elapse of time, due to intensive ionisation
Here, E is the electric field, the coordinate x  =  0 is placed on processes, the ionisation area quickly becomes filled with a
the tip of the needle electrode; the interval (0, xi1) corresponds positive space charge ρpos formed by ions (electrons have high
to the area in the vicinity of the pin, where the rate of ionis­ mobility and immediately leave the ionisation area). Because
ation by electron impact exceeds the rate of attachment of of that, the spatial-temporal distribution of the electric field
electrons to the electronegative species being in the ambient will be ruled by the Poisson equation instead of the Laplace
air, i.e. αi (x)  αa (x), where αi and αa are Townsend’s coef- one, as it was at the very beginning, just after the corona
ficients of ionisation and attachment for electrons, respec- inception:
tively; the coordinate xi1 is determined from the condition
αi [E(xi1 )] = αa [E(xi1 )]; γ is the coefficient of the secondary ρpos (x, t)
emission of electrons from the needle’s surface due to its divE(x, t) ∼
(5) = .
ε0
impact by the positive ions.
Generally, the condition (1) is fulfilled first and fore- This leads to the positively charged ionisation area shrinking
most along the axis of symmetry of the needle-to-plane and simultaneously to the electric field strength in the vicinity
gap. This is the reason why we can use a 1D approximation of the needle growing, and consequently to essentially
for estimations of the corona parameters corresponding to increasing the intensity of the ionisation in this area. This
its inception. We also assume that there is no space charge dynamic process is terminated by the formation of a positively
in the gap before the corona inception. In such a case, at charged narrow cathode layer with a voltage drop close (but
the initial time after reaching the inception voltage, U*, the not the same) to that for the normal glow cathode layer.
electric field distribution in the gap can be obtained from the In order to understand the formation of the first Trichel
Laplace equation: pulse, it is necessary to take into account that the voltage drop

5
J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 51 (2018) 155204
across the corona gap is constant, i.e. U  =  U*  =  const. On the
other hand, this voltage consists of two variable components:
U ∗ = Ui (t) + Ud (t), where Ui (t) and Ud (t) are the dimin-
ishing voltage drop across the high-conductive ionisation
area and the growing voltage drop across the rest of the non-
ionised gap, which has some electric capacitance C, respec-
tively. Based on the above, we can estimate the total diminish-
ment of Ui for the first Trichel pulse as follows:
(6) ∆Ui1 ∼
= Ui1 − Ucn ∼ = 1.6 kV − 0.3 kV = 1.3 kV.
In the course of cathode layer formation, the conductivity
current I(t) flowing through this layer is being supported by
the displacement current flowing through the non-conductive
gap: Ii (t) = C ∂U∂td (t) ≡ −C ∂U∂ti (t). Thus, the first Trichel pulse
is being formed by the displacement current through the non-
ionised gap, the amplitude of which is determined by the
dynamics of the shrinking cathode layer. However, after fin-
ishing the shrinking process of the large ionisation area up to
the thin needle cathode layer, the Ud (t) magnitude will not
increase more, and the non-ionised gap of the corona therefore
cannot support the high current formed by the cathode layer.
It leads to the high-current cathode layer decaying into a low-
current subnormal mode. This decay in corona current is being
accompanied by the expansion of the cathode layer and the
increase in the Ui (t) magnitude. As soon as Ui (t) reaches the
critical magnitude Ui∗, the restoration of the needle cathode
layer accompanied by its shrinking and diminishing, the Ui (t)
happens again and a new Trichel pulse is being formed. The
repetition of these events results in the establishment of a reg-
ular sequence of Trichel pulses.
Note that the second and next Trichel pulses are formed
in the presence of the positive space charge created in the
vicinity of the needle by the previous pulses. It causes the
Ui∗ magnitude to be lower compared to Ui1, corresponding to
the case of non-ionised gas around the needle. According to
the numerical calculations of Trichel pulses [17, 29], the Ui∗
magnitude can be estimated as Ui∗ ∼ = 2Ucn . In such a case, the
total diminishment of Ui for the regular Trichel pulses will be
lower:
(7) ∆Uir ∼= 2Ucn − Ucn ∼ = (0.3 ÷ 0.4)kV.
Based on the above, we can estimate the relationship between
the current amplitudes of the first I1 and the regular Ir Trichel
pulses. We take into account that according to the numerical
calculations, the major changes in Ui of the first and regular
Trichel pulses happen before the maximum current appear-
ance, within the time interval Δτ with a duration of several
nanoseconds. In such a case, the I1/Ir ratio can be approxi-
mated as:
I1 ∼ ∂Ui1 (t) ∂Uir (t) ∼ ∆Ui1 /∆τ ∼ ∆Ui1
= −C / −C = = . execution of the first function. To do that, we assume that
Ir ∂t ∂t ∆Uir /∆τ ∆Uir
(8)
Using equations (6) and (7), we find that the I1/Ir ratio is:
I1 ∼ ∆Ui1 ∼
(9)
= = 3 ÷ 4,
Ir ∆Uir
which is close to the experimental data presented in figure 1.
6
J Mizeraczyk et al
4.2.  The time-lag between the first and second Trichel pulse
and between regular Trichel pulses
The time intervals ∆τ12 and ∆τr between the first and second
Trichel pulses and two neighbouring, regular Trichel pulses is
determined by the time needed to remove the excess of posi-
tive charge from the ionisation area created by the preceding
pulse. Both time intervals are proportional to the length of the
ionisation area that forms the preceding pulse, i.e. ∆τ12 ∼ xi1
and ∆τr ∼ ∆lcr . As for the first Trichel pulse, the length xi1
of the ionisation area is determined by the Laplace distribu-
tion of the electric field, which sharply decreases ( E(x) ∼ 1x ).
Because of that and of the saturation of αi with the increase
in the electric field, the ionisation area has to be extended in
order to satisfy the self-sustaining condition (1). Contrariwise,
at the presence of the positive space charge in the vicinity of
the needle, the Poisson electric field distribution is smoother
(close to the linear dependence like E (x) ∼ (1 − ax)) that
leads to shortening the length ∆lcr of the ionisation area,
whereby the self-sustaining condition (1) is satisfied. This is
the reason why the length xi1 appreciably exceeds the length
∆lcr of the subnormal cathode layer under the critical voltage
drop Ui∗ , which, in turn, leads to an inequality ∆τ12   >  ∆τr .
Moreover, the length ∆lcr decreases with an increase in the
average corona current that decreases the period of regular
Trichel pulses. Both of these conclusions are consistent with
the experimental observations.
4.3.  Reliable reproducibility of the first Trichel pulses
with the use of the pulsed-periodical voltage
Due to the definition, the first Trichel pulse develops in a
gap that is free of any space charge. Therefore, if the pulsed-
periodical voltage is used for the excitation of only the first
Trichel pulses, it is necessary to fully remove from the gap the
negative space charge created by the preceding Trichel pulse
before the appearance of the next one. Let us estimate the time
T needed for full removal of the negative space charge onto
the anode. For definiteness, we will assume that the applied
voltage is a periodic sequence of saw-tooth pulses. The
voltage in each saw-tooth pulse linearly increases in time up
to amplitude U0  =  5.2 kV and instantly falls down to zero at
t  =  T: U (t) = U0 Tt . In other words, T is the period of periodic
sequence of saw-tooth pulses. In order to provide the period-
ical reproducibility of the first Trichel pulses, each saw-tooth
pulse has to perform two functions: (1) to remove quickly
(in time t  <  T) the charge generated by the preceding Trichel
pulse onto the anode, and (2) to create near the cathode the
negative charge by its own first Trichel pulse at the moment
t  =  T.
We can estimate the minimal duration Tmin needed for
the space charge generated by the first Trichel pulse weakly
influences the Laplace distribution (3) of the electric field in
the gap. The equation  describing the drift of negative ions
through the gap can be found from the definition of the ion
drift velocity Vi  ≡  dx/dt  =  µi E (where E is the electric field
strength taken from (3)):
J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 51 (2018) 155204
dx 2µi U(t) 1 It means that the duration τ of the pause between two
=  · .
(10)
dt 2d
r0 ln r0 1 + 2x
r0
Equation (10) was derived under the assumption that the
total thickness of the cathode layer and transition region
where electrons are being transformed into negative ions is
much smaller compared to the length of the drift region which
is equal approximately to the gap length, d. Many numerical
calculations have confirmed confirm this assumption [30]. In
such a case, we can choose the coordinate x  =  0 close to the
cathode surface. The integration of equation (10) gives:
d2 · ln 2d r0
(11) Tmin ∼
= .
µ i U0
For the specific experimental conditions, the parameters in
equation (10) are:
 
2d 2d ∼
= 667; ln = 2.2 · 10−4 m2 V−1 s−1 ;
= 6.5; µi ∼
r0 r0
d = 2.5 cm; U0 = 5.2 kV.
Substituting these parameters in equation  (11), we obtain
Tmin ∼= 3.55 ms.
Note the formation of the first Trichel pulse takes much
shorter time compared to the drift removal of the generated
negative charge onto the anode. It means that maximum fre-
quency for periodical sequence of the saw-toothed pulses
under the specific experimental parameters cannot be higher
than 280 Hz.
In principle, it is possible to use another regime for peri-
odical generation of the first Trichel pulses, when short
saw-tooth voltage pulses with T  <  Tmin are separated from
each other by a long pause with duration τ  >  Tmin. In this
case, the negative charge generated by each short saw-tooth
voltage pulse has to be removed onto the anode during the
pause after the voltage pulse. However, in the absence of an
applied voltage during the pause, the duration of pause has to
be long enough to remove the negative charge from the gap
by the electrostatic field induced by the charge itself. Indeed,
the experiment with T  <  Tmin showed that even duration of
τ  ≈  100 ms is not enough to remove the negative charge from
the gap after each saw-tooth pulse and to provide the repro-
ducible periodical generation of the first Trichel pulses.
The situation can be improved essentially if we use the
combination of the saw-tooth pulses with the DC voltage. In
this case, the negative charge formed by the first Trichel pulse
in the preceding saw-tooth pulse will be removed by the DC
voltage during the pause between voltage pulses. Using the
combination of the saw-tooth pulses with the DC voltage gives
a possibility to diminish the duration τ of the pause between
two neighbour saw-tooth pulses. Indeed, according to equa-
tion  (10) with the DC voltage bias U (t) = UDC = 4.4 kV,
the drift time td for the negative charge across the gap of d in
length will be:
 
d2 ln 2d
(12) r0
td ∼
= ∼
= 2.1 ms.
2µi UDC
7
J Mizeraczyk et al
neighbour saw-tooth pulses can be diminished practically to
τ  ≈  td. As mentioned above, the formation of the first Trichel
pulse takes a short time compared to the ion drift time across
the gap. Because of that, it is possible to diminish the duration
of saw-tooth pulses and increase the frequency for generation
of the first Trichel pulses up to 475 Hz.
All of the above serves as evidence that the offered
approach for periodical generation of the first Trichel pulses
based on combination of the saw-tooth pulses and the DC bias
is very promising.
5.  Summary and conclusions
In this paper, we presented a simple method for the controlled
generation of a single Trichel pulse and a series of single
Trichel pulses (of regulated repetition rate) in air in a repro-
ducible manner. The controlled generation is based on trig-
gering a single Trichel pulse (or a series of such pulses) by an
appropriately designed voltage waveform. The parameters of
a single Trichel pulse (the pulse current amplitude and wave-
form) generated with the proposed method are similar to those
of the first Trichel pulse generated spontaneously in a nega-
tive corona in air. Note that the single Trichel pulses produced
using the proposed method exhibit higher current amplitudes
and electric charge than those typical of ‘traditional’ regular
Trichel pulses. The theoretical background of the proposed
method has been presented. The results obtained were qualita-
tively analysed. A good agreement between the experimental
results and the theoretical predictions was found. The analysis
provides guidance for designing the voltage ramp pulse in
respect of the generation of a single Trichel pulse or a series
of single Trichel pulses.
As the main purpose of this paper was to introduce the
essence and justification of the method for the controlled gen-
eration of a single Trichel pulse and a series of single Trichel
pulses, other data on the method development will be pre-
sented at a later date.
Acknowledgment
This work was supported by the National Science Centre
(Grant No. UMO-2013/09/B/ST8/02054).
ORCID iDs
Artur Berendt https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1013-7337
Yuri Akishev https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8379-5782
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