Title :
Breakdown in vacuum between two silver or alloy silver-nickel electrodes
Author :
Noureddine, Zouache ; André, Lefort
Author_Institution :
Univ. Blaise Pascal, Aubiere, France
Abstract :
The comparison of the characteristics of an electric arc breakdown in vacuum between two silver electrodes and two alloy silver-nickel electrodes prompted us to show experimentally that the process initiating discharge in a vacuum is electronic emission. Increased content of nickel in the alloy helps to improve the insulation and achieve high resistance to the erosion for low power arcs. Heating in vacuum demonstrates the multiple layer structure of the studied alloys. The analysis by an energy dispersing spectrometer (EDS) of the electrode surfaces and measurement of commutation and delay times enabled us to evidence the origin of the electric arc
Keywords :
anodes; cathodes; electron emission; nickel alloys; silver; silver alloys; spectroscopy; vacuum arcs; vacuum breakdown; Ag; Ag electrodes; Ag-Ni; Ag-Ni electrodes; anodes; cathodes; commutation measurement; delay times measurement; discharge initiation; electric arc breakdown; electrode surfaces; electronic emission; energy dispersing spectrometer; heating; high erosion resistance; low power arcs; multiple layer structure; silver electrodes; silver-nickel electrodes; vacuum breakdown; Dispersion; Electric breakdown; Electric resistance; Electrodes; Heating; Insulation; Nickel alloys; Silver; Vacuum arcs; Vacuum breakdown;
Conference_Titel :
Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum, 1996. Proceedings. ISDEIV., XVIIth International Symposium on
Conference_Location :
Berkeley, CA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-2906-6
DOI :
10.1109/DEIV.1996.545460
