Title :
Plasma parameters of an arc cathode spot at the low-current vacuum discharge
Author :
Batrakov, Alexander ; Popov, Sergey ; Vogel, Nadeshda ; Jüttner, Burkhard ; Proskurovsky, Dmitry
Author_Institution :
High Current Electron. Inst., Acad. of Sci., Tomsk, Russia
Abstract :
This paper is devoted to the results of an experimental study of plasma parameters of cathode spot burning on a liquid-metal cathode in vacuum at a low-current (less than 200 A) vacuum arc discharge. Picosecond laser interferometry and absorption shadow imaging were used in a single experiment. Plasma fragments as dense as 1026 m-3 were observed at discharge currents less than 50 A. Such fragments were never observed in arc discharges with currents higher than 100 A or in the breakdown stage of the discharge.
Keywords :
light interferometry; plasma diagnostics; vacuum arcs; 100 A; 200 A; 50 A; absorption shadow imaging; arc cathode spot; arc discharges; cathode spot burning; discharge currents; liquid-metal cathode; low-current vacuum arc discharge; low-current vacuum discharge; picosecond laser interferometry; plasma fragments; plasma parameters; Arc discharges; Cathodes; Electrons; Gallium alloys; Optical interferometry; Optical refraction; Plasma density; Plasma measurements; Plasma temperature; Vacuum arcs;
Journal_Title :
Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TPS.2003.818427
