  This study reports a low-frequency alternating current (AC) power supply as a
novel approach for generating low-pressure capacitively coupled Ar-O2 plasma,
offering advantages in cost, compactness, and operational simplicity, which are
crucial for both material science and biological applications. The
effectiveness of low-frequency AC-generated plasma against traditional RF
systems by examining key plasma parameters such as electron density, electron
temperature, and electron energy distribution function (EEDF), are
investigated. Experimental results revealed that AC power supply could
effectively produce low pressure Ar-O2 plasma with comparable properties to RF
systems. Most notably, the AC-generated plasma achieved a significant reduction
in bacterial growth, suggesting its potential as a more economical and flexible
alternative for enhancing plasma-assisted applications in sterilization and
material processing.
