Influences of process parameters in low pressure arc discharge on surface roughness of aluminum cathode

The low pressure arc discharge was applied to make rough the inner surface of the aluminum cylindrical tube under the following experimental conditions: arc current: 40–140 A, initial pressure: 50, 100, 200 mTorr, applied magnetic field: 0–2.5 mT. The influence of these parameters on discharge behavior, cathode erosion rate, and cathode surface roughness were investigated and discussed.