Next, the plasma discharge starting method of the dielectric barrier plasma generator according to the present embodiment will be described. The plasma discharge starting method of the dielectric barrier plasma generator according to the present embodiment is used for the plasma generators 10, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 100. The plasma discharge starting method includes a process A in which at least one type of the starting gas selected from the group consisting of He, Ne, and Ar is introduced into the gas channel to generate plasma at the time of starting, and a process B in which a gas for generating plasma is introduced into the gas channel after the process A. In the plasma discharge starting method of the dielectric barrier plasma generator according to the present embodiment, at least one type of the starting gas selected from the group consisting of He, Ne, and Ar is introduced into the gas channel to generate plasma at the time of starting, and the gas for generating plasma (gas capable of generating desired active species) including hydrogen, oxygen, water, and nitrogen) is introduced into the gas channel after the starting time. This method enables discharge to start even when the gas for generating plasma is a gas that is less likely to undergo plasma discharge.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the examples described above; the present invention can be designed and modified as necessary within the scope of satisfying the configuration of the invention.