Influence of residual gases on cathode spot behavior

Author

Anders, Simone ; Jüttner, Burkhard

Author_Institution

Central Inst. of Electron Phys., Berlin, Germany

Volume

19

Issue

5

fYear

1991

fDate

10/1/1991 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

705

Lastpage

712

Abstract

A residual gas in a vacuum arc chamber influences the behavior of the arc by two effects: it changes the state of the cathode surface, in particular the surface cleanness, and it influences the interelectrode plasma. Experiments are summarized dealing with the influence of the residual gas on the arc parameters in a pressure range of 10^-6-10^-5 Pa. With increasing pressure, general tendencies are a decrease in the fluctuations of the burning voltage, in the chopping current, and in the current density, and an increase in the arc lifetime, spot velocity, and spot diameter. The conditions at the cathode surface are decisive for the spot behavior and not the pressure. Surface contaminations render the arc more stable. The transition between the so-called cathode spot type 1 (on contaminated surfaces) and type 2 (on clean surfaces) was found to be smooth rather than abrupt

Keywords

arcs (electric); plasma impurities; 10^-6 to 10⁵ Pa; arc lifetime; burning voltage; cathode spot behavior; cathode surface; chopping current; contaminations; current density; fluctuations; interelectrode plasma; residual gases; spot diameter; spot type transition; spot velocity; surface cleanness; vacuum arc chamber; Cathodes; Electrodes; Electron emission; Gases; Ignition; Plasmas; Production; Surface cleaning; Surface contamination; Vacuum arcs;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.108402

Filename

108402