Fabrication and Characterization of a 10 × 10 cm Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Array

Area of Science:

• Plasma physics
• Biomedical engineering
• Materials science

Background:

• Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) offers promising non-thermal treatment methods.
• Existing CAP devices often lack large treatment areas.
• Controlling plasma uniformity and reactive species delivery is crucial for efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a large-area cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) array.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the developed CAP array against bacterial biofilms.
• To optimize plasma uniformity and gas flow for effective treatment.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 43-element linear-discharge CAP array using low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) layers.
• Application of 1.55 kVrms AC voltage to generate argon plasma within 1.1 mm discharge gaps.
• Optimization of gas flow and inclusion of ballast resistors for uniform plasma generation.
• Treatment of *Ps. fluorescence* bacterial biofilms on stainless steel coupons.

Main Results:

• A 10 cm × 10 cm treatment area was achieved with the CAP array.
• Optimized argon flow (130 lpm) and ballast resistors ensured uniform plasma discharge.
• A 91% reduction in *Ps. fluorescence* colony-forming units was observed after 150 seconds of treatment at a 1.5 cm gap.

Conclusions:

• The developed large-area CAP array is effective for antimicrobial applications.
• The device design enables uniform plasma generation and efficient delivery of reactive species.
• This technology holds potential for treating bacterial biofilms in various settings.