Droplets Evaporation in Vacuum Arc Plasma

A method of cleaning vacuum arc plasma from the droplet fraction of cathode erosion by creating conditions favorable for ignition and further operation of "droplet spots" in plasma is proposed. Such conditions are realized in the reflective arc discharge. Plasma of this discharge has substantially higher temperature and density in comparison with plasma of usual vacuum arc at the same current. The experiments performed have shown that, in contrast with the usual vacuum arc, arc at the reflective discharge mode results in several times decrease in the number of droplets residuary after passage through plasma. The experimental results are being discussed in the term of heat exchange between droplets and surrounding plasma. The method proposed opens up new possibilities of cleaning vacuum arc plasma from droplets.