The synergistic discharge in atmospheric oxygen is investigated with a two-dimensional fluid model by introducing periodic micro-slit structures on the dielectric surface, in which the spatiotemporal evolution of the electric field and particle in terms of electrons reveals a discharge enhancement mechanism. The applied longitudinal electric field in the micro-slits governs the ionization wave formation and propagation while enabling the development of a transverse electric field. As the ionization wave propagates into the bulk discharge region, its longitudinal electric field superimposes with the transverse electric field, which significantly enhances the discharge intensity. Meanwhile, the transverse field redistributes electrons, which strengthens the local electric field and the electron energy accordingly. It proposes a synergistic mechanism characterized by the superposition in oxygen discharge of longitudinal and transverse electric fields, offering a new strategy for efficient generation of atomic oxygen.
Fang et al. (2026) studied this question.