title: Electric discharge during electrosurgery.
abstract: Electric discharge utilized for electrosurgery is studied by means of a recently developed method for the diagnostics of small-size atmospheric plasma objects based on Rayleigh scattering of microwaves on the plasma volume. Evolution of the plasma parameters in the near-electrode sheaths and in the positive column is measured and analyzed. It is found that the electrosurgical system produces a glow discharge of alternating current with strongly contracted positive column with current densities reaching 10(3) A/cm(2). The plasma electron density and electrical conductivities in the channel were found be 10(16) cm(-3) and (1-2) Ohm(-1) cm(-1), respectively. The discharge interrupts every instance when the discharge-driving AC voltage crosses zero and re-ignites again every next half-wave at the moment when the instant voltage exceeds the breakdown threshold.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shashurin
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Jerome Canady Research Institute for Advanced Biological and Technological Sciences, 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 300, Takoma Park, MD 20912.
authors.forename: Taisen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: Jerome Canady Research Institute for Advanced Biological and Technological Sciences, 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 300, Takoma Park, MD 20912.
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Canady
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978.
authors.forename: Isak I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Beilis
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keidar