Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Equipotential Surfaces and Conductors

Equipotential Surfaces and Conductors

For a conductor in which all charges are at rest, the conductor's surface is equipotential. The electric field is always perpendicular to equipotential surfaces. Therefore, in a conductor with static charges, the electric field just outside the conductor is always perpendicular to the conductor's surface. Any tangential component of the electric field will cause charges to move inside the conductor, which will violate the electrostatic nature of the system. In an electrostatic...

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early...

Van de Graaff Generator

Van de Graaff Generator

Van de Graaff generators (or Van de Graaffs) are devices used to demonstrate high voltage due to static electricity that can also be used for research. Robert Van de Graaff first built one in 1931 (based on original suggestions by Lord Kelvin) for use in nuclear physics research.
Van de Graaff uses both smooth and pointed surfaces, conductors, and insulators to generate large static charges and, hence, large voltages. A substantial excess charge can be deposited on the sphere because it moves...

Processes at Electrodes

Processes at Electrodes

The electrode interacts with ions in the electrolyte solution at its interface. The rate of oxidation and reduction depends on the speed at which electrons can transfer through this interface. As ions attach to or leave the electrode surface, the electrode acquires a charge, and an electrical potential forms across the interface, making the process more difficult to reach equilibrium. The charge on the electrode affects the local ion concentrations in the solution, though thermal motion...

Eddy Currents

Eddy Currents

Since eddy currents occur only in conductors, magnets can separate metals from other materials. For example, in a recycling center, trash is dumped in batches down a ramp, beneath which lies a powerful magnet. Conductors in the trash are slowed by eddy currents, while nonmetals in the trash move on, separating from the metals. This works for all metals, not just ferromagnetic ones.
Other major applications of eddy currents appear in metal detectors and the braking systems of trains and roller...

The Electrical Double Layer

The Electrical Double Layer

In the region where two bulk phases meet, an intricate electric charge distribution arises due to charge transfer, ion adsorption, molecular orientation, and charge distortion. This complex distribution is commonly referred to as the electrical double layer.When a solid electrode interfaces with ions in an electrolyte solution, the speed of electron transfer dictates the rates of oxidation and reduction. The electrode acquires a charge through the escape of atoms into the solution as cations or...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Muscle matters: A proposed algorithm to guide screening, assessment and management of poor muscle health in primary care.

Australian journal of general practice·2026

Same author

Associations between Mediterranean diet adherence and body composition and metabolic outcomes in older adults at risk of sarcopenic obesity.

BMC geriatrics·2026

Same author

Tryptophan degradation by intestinal Bacteroides induces anti-tumor immunity and limits melanoma growth.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Culturally adapted multimodal lifestyle approaches for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: role of diet, physical activity and sleep.

The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society·2026

Same author

"We need to keep in mind that battle fatigue": A commentary on moral injury among substance use treatment and community service providers.

Journal of substance use and addiction treatment·2026

Same author

Lifetime Physical Loading and Magnetic Resonance-Derived Intervertebral Disc Health in Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

JOR spine·2026

Same journal

Therapeutic potential of crude protein extracts from two Egyptian freshwater snails Lanistes carinatus and Bellamya unicolor.

Scientific reports·2026

Same journal

Microbial contamination of donor corneas and post-keratoplasty endophthalmitis: a comparison between Japanese and U.S. eye banks using cold storage.

Scientific reports·2026

Same journal

Prevalence and contributing factors of virological non-suppression among adult patients on first-line antiretroviral therapy in tertiary hospitals in Ethiopia.

Scientific reports·2026

Same journal

An in vitro comparison of color stability between alkasite and different restorative materials in various staining solutions.

Scientific reports·2026

Same journal

Toward accessible mRNA LNP formulation: systematic evaluation of mixing strategies and key parameters.

Scientific reports·2026

Same journal

A network analysis of personality traits, mentalizing, and psychological health in Chinese college students.

Scientific reports·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 14, 2026

Integration of Electroporation in Urological Practice: Design and Evaluation of a New Transurethral Electrode

Integration of Electroporation in Urological Practice: Design and Evaluation of a New Transurethral Electrode

Published on: March 20, 2026

Electric discharge during electrosurgery.

Alexey Shashurin¹, David Scott¹, Taisen Zhuang²

¹Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.

Scientific Reports

|April 17, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study analyzes electrosurgical electric discharge using microwave diagnostics. It reveals a high-current glow discharge with specific plasma parameters and intermittent operation tied to AC voltage cycles.

More Related Videos

Investigation of the Electrophysiological and Thermographic Safety Parameters of Surgical Energy Devices During Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery in a Porcine Model

Investigation of the Electrophysiological and Thermographic Safety Parameters of Surgical Energy Devices During Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery in a Porcine Model

Published on: October 13, 2022

Electrochemotherapy of Tumours

Electrochemotherapy of Tumours

Published on: December 15, 2008

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 14, 2026

Integration of Electroporation in Urological Practice: Design and Evaluation of a New Transurethral Electrode

Integration of Electroporation in Urological Practice: Design and Evaluation of a New Transurethral Electrode

Published on: March 20, 2026

Investigation of the Electrophysiological and Thermographic Safety Parameters of Surgical Energy Devices During Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery in a Porcine Model

Investigation of the Electrophysiological and Thermographic Safety Parameters of Surgical Energy Devices During Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery in a Porcine Model

Published on: October 13, 2022

Electrochemotherapy of Tumours

Electrochemotherapy of Tumours

Published on: December 15, 2008

Area of Science:

Physics
Plasma Science
Electrical Engineering

Background:

Electrosurgery uses electric discharge for tissue interaction.
Understanding plasma dynamics in electrosurgical devices is crucial for safety and efficacy.
Existing diagnostic methods may have limitations for small atmospheric plasma objects.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the plasma parameters of electric discharge in electrosurgery.
To analyze the behavior of plasma in near-electrode sheaths and the positive column.
To characterize the nature of the glow discharge produced by the electrosurgical system.

Main Methods:

Utilized a novel diagnostic method based on Rayleigh scattering of microwaves.
Applied the method to study small-size atmospheric plasma objects generated during electrosurgery.
Measured and analyzed plasma electron density, electrical conductivity, and discharge behavior.

Main Results:

Identified the electrosurgical system producing an alternating current glow discharge.
Observed a strongly contracted positive column with high current densities (10^3 A/cm^2).
Quantified plasma electron density (10^16 cm^-3) and electrical conductivity (1-2 Ohm^-1 cm^-1).
Determined that the discharge interrupts at zero AC voltage crossings and re-ignites above the breakdown threshold.

Conclusions:

The electrosurgical discharge is an intermittent alternating current glow discharge.
The characterized plasma parameters are essential for understanding electrosurgical performance.
The microwave scattering technique provides effective diagnostics for such plasma systems.