Resonant atomic interfero- and shadowgraphy of vacuum arc with gallium cathode

The mechanism of the emission of neutral atoms of the cathode material into the discharge gap of a microsecond low-current vacuum arc with a liquid Ga cathode has been investigated by the method of subnanosecond resonance laser interfero- and shadowgraphy. It has been shown that the cathode material vaporization has a pronounced nonstationary character and occurs both isotropically and in the form of constricted weakly ionized jets with the atom concentration in a jet over 10/sup 17/cm/sup -3/.