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On the State of Ionization, Non‐Ideality and Electric Conductivity of the Cathode Plasma of Vacuum Arcs
Author(s) -
Anders S.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
beiträge aus der plasmaphysik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.531
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1521-3986
pISSN - 0005-8025
DOI - 10.1002/ctpp.19860260605
Subject(s) - cathode , plasma , ionization , vacuum arc , atomic physics , arc (geometry) , electrical resistivity and conductivity , chemistry , conductivity , electric arc , electrode , ion , physics , geometry , mathematics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Abstract The cathode spot plasma of a metal vapour are in vacuum has a high density (10 25 –10 28 m 3 ) with a relatively low temperature (1–5 eV), therefore it is strongly non‐ideal. The degree of ionization α and the electric conductivity σ of such plasmas are discussed, considering that non‐ideality. The burning voltage of the arc U B is estimated with the help of σ‐values, obtained from theories and measurements for non‐ideal copper plasmas. It is shown, that a high current density of the cathode spot of j = 10 12 A/m 2 is not in contradiction to a low burning voltage U B = 20–30 V, but these values give a consistent picture of the spot processes.