DBD plasma actuators use dielectric barrier discharge to make ionic wind for electronics cooling. How they work, and where they beat a fan.
If you have read our guide on ionic wind, you know that electric fields can move air without any mechanical parts. But how exactly do you engineer that principle into a device thin enough to embed inside a smartphone or mount directly onto a circuit board?
The answer is the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator — a device that converts electrical energy into directed airflow using nothing more than two electrodes and a thin layer of insulating material. No moving parts. No bearings. No minimum thickness dictated by blade geometry.
This article explains the engineering principles behind DBD plasma actuators, how they generate cooling airflow, and what makes them suitable for next-generation electronics thermal management.
A DBD plasma actuator consists of three fundamental components:
1. Exposed electrode. A thin conductive strip (typically copper or aluminum, 10–100 micrometers thick) mounted on the top surface of the dielectric. This electrode is connected to a high-voltage AC power supply. Its edge geometry directly affects the electric field concentration and, consequently, the plasma formation.
2. Dielectric barrier. A layer of insulating material (commonly Kapton polyimide, PTFE, glass, or ceramic) separating the two electrodes. The dielectric serves two critical functions: it prevents direct arc formation between the electrodes, and it accumulates surface charge that self-limits the discharge, preventing the plasma from transitioning to a destructive spark. Typical thicknesses range from 0.1 to 3 mm depending on the operating voltage and desired performance.
3. Embedded electrode. A second conductive strip positioned beneath the dielectric, offset horizontally from the exposed electrode. This electrode is typically grounded. The asymmetric placement of the two electrodes is what creates the directional airflow — without this offset, the device would generate symmetric plasma on both sides and produce no net momentum transfer.
The entire assembly can be less than 1 mm thick. At YPlasma, our actuators are fabricated using standard PCB manufacturing processes, which means they integrate directly into existing electronics production lines without requiring specialized equipment.
When an alternating high voltage (typically 5–20 kV peak-to-peak at 1–20 kHz) is applied to the exposed electrode, the following sequence occurs during each half-cycle:
Positive half-cycle. The exposed electrode reaches a sufficiently high positive potential to ionize the air near its edge. Electrons are pulled toward the electrode while positive ions are repelled outward across the dielectric surface. These ions deposit on the dielectric, creating a region of positive surface charge. As this charge accumulates, it opposes the applied field, eventually extinguishing the discharge. This self-limiting behavior is the key safety feature of DBD devices — the dielectric barrier prevents runaway current.
Negative half-cycle. The polarity reverses. The previously deposited positive charge on the dielectric surface now enhances the local electric field. New micro-discharges form, and electrons stream outward across the surface. The process deposits negative charge, again self-limiting the discharge.
The net result of this alternating process is a quasi-steady body force on the air near the dielectric surface. Because the electrode geometry is asymmetric, this body force has a net direction — pushing air from the exposed electrode toward and over the embedded electrode. The velocity profile of the resulting ionic wind is tangential to the surface, creating a wall jet that follows the contour of whatever surface the actuator is mounted on.
Several geometric and electrical parameters determine a DBD actuator's cooling performance:
Applied voltage and frequency. Higher voltage increases the extent of the plasma region and the resulting body force. Higher frequency means more discharge events per second, increasing the time-averaged momentum transfer. However, both parameters affect power consumption, and there is an optimal operating point that maximizes the ratio of induced velocity to input power.
Dielectric material and thickness. The dielectric constant and thickness determine the capacitance of the device, which affects the discharge characteristics. Higher dielectric constant materials (like ceramics, with relative permittivity of 10–1000) produce stronger discharges at lower voltages but may introduce higher dielectric losses. Thinner dielectrics reduce the required voltage but decrease the breakdown margin. For a full comparison of how Kapton, PTFE, glass, and engineered ceramics trade off airflow, durability, and heat, see our guide to dielectric materials for plasma actuators.
Electrode gap and overlap. The horizontal distance between the edge of the exposed electrode and the near edge of the embedded electrode affects the electric field distribution. Research by Corke et al. (2010) demonstrated that optimal performance is achieved with minimal gap (near-zero overlap), where the electric field concentration is highest at the plasma formation region.
Electrode geometry. While straight-edge electrodes are the simplest, serrated, wavy, or pin-array electrode geometries can enhance performance by concentrating the electric field at sharp points. These three-dimensional electrode designs are an active area of optimization in the research community.
Earlier ionic wind devices used bare wire-to-plate or needle-to-ring corona discharge configurations. While simpler, these have significant drawbacks that DBD actuators solve:
Ozone production. Bare corona discharges operate continuously and produce substantial ozone (O3) — a respiratory irritant regulated by indoor air quality standards. DBD actuators produce significantly less ozone because the self-limiting discharge prevents the sustained high-energy conditions that favor ozone chemistry. Optimized DBD waveforms can reduce ozone output to below 10 parts per billion, well under the EPA threshold of 70 ppb.
Arc risk. Without a dielectric barrier, corona devices can transition to a spark or arc if the electrode gap decreases (due to vibration or thermal expansion) or if humidity or contamination changes the local breakdown conditions. A spark inside an electronics enclosure can destroy components. The dielectric barrier in DBD devices physically prevents arc formation under all operating conditions.
Surface-conforming flow. Corona wind devices produce a bulk airflow between two separated electrodes. DBD actuators produce a wall jet that follows the surface contour. This is thermally superior because it maintains the airflow in direct contact with the heated surface, maximizing convective heat transfer where it matters most.
Form factor. Wire-to-plate devices require an air gap of 5–50 mm between electrodes. DBD actuators have both electrodes on or within a single thin substrate. This is the difference between a device that sits on top of an electronics assembly and one that can be printed directly onto it.
Published research demonstrates that DBD plasma actuators achieve meaningful heat transfer enhancement:
Researchers at the University of Washington (Jewell-Larsen et al., 2008) demonstrated that EHD-enhanced heat sinks achieved thermal resistances comparable to conventional fan-heatsink assemblies while fitting into a fraction of the volume.
Benard and Moreau (2014) systematically characterized DBD actuators and showed induced velocities up to 7 m/s in optimized configurations — sufficient for effective forced convection cooling of low-to-moderate heat flux electronic components.
Multiple studies have shown heat transfer coefficient improvements of 100–200% compared to natural convection when DBD actuators are placed upstream of heated surfaces (Fylladitakis et al., 2014).
These results position DBD actuators as viable replacements for small mechanical fans in applications where thickness, noise, vibration, or reliability are primary constraints.
One of the most compelling aspects of DBD plasma actuators for electronics cooling is their manufacturing compatibility. The device is fundamentally a patterned conductor-dielectric-conductor stack — the same structure as a multi-layer printed circuit board.
This means DBD actuators can be:
At YPlasma, we leverage this manufacturing compatibility to deliver actuators that drop into existing thermal management workflows. Our Y-Flow product line is designed specifically for integration with standard electronics packaging, eliminating the need for custom mechanical assemblies.
For a broader comparison of how DBD actuators stack up against other cooling technologies, see our detailed analysis: Plasma Actuators vs Thermoelectric Coolers.
To understand the fundamental physics behind the airflow these devices generate, read our complete guide: What Is Ionic Wind? The Complete Guide to Electrohydrodynamic Cooling. To see how DBD actuators compare against thermoelectric, electrocaloric, magnetocaloric and elastocaloric approaches side by side, read Solid-State Cooling: Complete Guide to Fanless Thermal Management.
Typically 5–20 kV peak-to-peak at 1–20 kHz from a compact high-voltage driver. Current is very low, so power draw is a fraction of an equivalent fan.
Substantially less than bare corona devices, because the dielectric barrier self-limits the discharge. We cover measurement, mitigation and lifetime in ionic wind reliability and ozone, explained.
The full electrode-dielectric-electrode stack can be built under 1 mm, with dielectric thickness set by the operating voltage.
Yes. The structure is a patterned conductor-dielectric-conductor stack, the same as a multilayer PCB.