Vacuum arc ion currents and electrode phenomena

Properties of dc vacuum arcs between copper electrodes are studied in both a vacuum interrupter and a metal walled arc chamber. Maximum ion currents of ∼8 to 20 percent of the arc current (100 to 3000 A) are drawn from the diffuse arc plasma when the bounding metal wall or shield is biased negative. This maximum ion current is a fundamental arc property independent of wall diameter, anode diameter, and electrode spacing. The geometric dependence of the wall ion current, together with observations of isotropic vapor and ion emission from the cathode, indicates that the cathode regions adjacent to the cathode spots are the predominant sources of ionization for the plasma. Assuming single ionization, 55 percent of the vapor leaving these regions is ionized. Starvation phenomena in the anode region remote from the cathode spots lead to anode voltage drop and anode spot formation. Post arc currents reveal a mean ion speed during arcing of ≈8×10⁵cm/s. This mean speed may be acquired in the cathode region by acceleration from a potential maximum.