Electrical breakdown of small gaps in vacuum

Author

Zouache, N. ; Lefort, A.

Volume

4

Issue

4

fYear

1997

fDate

8/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

358

Lastpage

364

Abstract

The comparison of the characteristics of an electric arc breakdown in vacuum between two silver or silver-nickel alloy convex electrodes, enabled us to show experimentally that the process initiating discharge in vacuum is the electronic emission at the micrometer scale. Increased content of nickel in the alloy improves the insulation and achieves high resistance to erosion for low power arcs. Heating in vacuum demonstrates the multiple layer structure of studied alloys. Secondary electron microscopy and energy dispersing spectroscopy of the electrode surfaces after breakdown, as well as the measurements of fall and delay times, enabled us to evidence the origin of the electric arc

Keywords

electric breakdown; electrodes; electron field emission; electron spectroscopy; vacuum arcs; vacuum breakdown; wear; Ag; AgNi; delay times; discharge initiation; electric arc breakdown; electrical breakdown; electrode surfaces; electronic emission; energy dispersing spectroscopy; erosion; fall times; secondary electron microscopy; small vacuum gaps; Electric breakdown; Electric resistance; Electrodes; Electrons; Heating; Insulation; Nickel alloys; Silver; Vacuum arcs; Vacuum breakdown;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1070-9878

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/94.625348

Filename

625348