Pulsed electrical discharges in vacuum at cryogenic electrode temperatures

Author

Mesyats, G.A.

Author_Institution

Inst. of Electrophys., Acad. of Sci., Sverdlovsk, USSR

Volume

24

Issue

6

fYear

1989

fDate

12/1/1989 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

883

Lastpage

890

Abstract

A review is presented of recent investigations concerning the effect of cathodes at cryogenic temperatures on the initiation of a pulsed vacuum breakdown. It has been observed that cooling Nb and W cathodes from 300 K to 4.2 K results in a monotonic increase of the critical emission current and the pulsed electric strength of the vacuum gap. This appears to be due to variations of the thermophysical characteristics (resistivity, thermal conductivity and heat capacity) of the cathode on cooling. The superconducting state of an Nb cathode essentially does not affect the vacuum breakdown delay time. Also given are the results of a study of the initiation of a vacuum breakdown between electrodes made of high-temperature superconductors

Keywords

cathodes; cryogenics; discharges (electric); electric strength; niobium; tungsten; 4.2 K; Nb; W; cathodes; critical emission current; cryogenic electrode temperatures; heat capacity; high-temperature superconductors; pulsed electric strength; pulsed vacuum breakdown; resistivity; superconducting state; thermal conductivity; thermophysical characteristics; vacuum breakdown delay time; Cathodes; Cooling; Cryogenics; Delay effects; Electrodes; High temperature superconductors; Niobium; Thermal conductivity; Thermal resistance; Vacuum breakdown;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electrical Insulation, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9367

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/14.46305

Filename

46305