Plasma parameters of an arc cathode spot at the low-current vacuum discharge

Author

Batrakov, Alexander ; Popov, Sergey ; Vogel, Nadeshda ; Jüttner, Burkhard ; Proskurovsky, Dmitry

Author_Institution

High Current Electron. Inst., Acad. of Sci., Tomsk, Russia

Volume

31

Issue

5

fYear

2003

Firstpage

817

Lastpage

821

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the results of an experimental study of plasma parameters of cathode spot burning on a liquid-metal cathode in vacuum at a low-current (less than 200 A) vacuum arc discharge. Picosecond laser interferometry and absorption shadow imaging were used in a single experiment. Plasma fragments as dense as 10²⁶ m^-3 were observed at discharge currents less than 50 A. Such fragments were never observed in arc discharges with currents higher than 100 A or in the breakdown stage of the discharge.

Keywords

light interferometry; plasma diagnostics; vacuum arcs; 100 A; 200 A; 50 A; absorption shadow imaging; arc cathode spot; arc discharges; cathode spot burning; discharge currents; liquid-metal cathode; low-current vacuum arc discharge; low-current vacuum discharge; picosecond laser interferometry; plasma fragments; plasma parameters; Arc discharges; Cathodes; Electrons; Gallium alloys; Optical interferometry; Optical refraction; Plasma density; Plasma measurements; Plasma temperature; Vacuum arcs;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2003.818427

Filename

1240021