Ion spectra of vacuum arc plasma with compound and alloy cathodes

Journal Article · Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Journal of Applied Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.343756· OSTI ID:5215500

Sasaki, J ^[1]; Brown, I G ^[2]

---

1. Nippon Steel Corporation, 10-1 Fuchinobe 5-chome, Sagamihara-shi, Kanagawa 229, Japan (Japan)
2. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (USA)

We have carried out an experimental investigation of the charge state distribution of ions produced in the vacuum arc plasma for the case when the cathode is a compound or alloy. The plasma was generated in a metal vapor vacuum arc ion source, and the charge state spectra were measured using a time-of-flight method. We have compared these spectra to the spectra obtained from cathodes of the constituent elements. The cathode materials used and reported on here were the following groups: SiC/Si/C (i.e., we have compared the spectra obtained using a cathode of silicon carbide with the spectra obtained using (a) a silicon cathode and (b) a carbon cathode), TiC/TiN/TiO{sub 2}/Ti/C, WC/W/C, (UC-ZrC)/UN/U/Zr/C, brass/Cu/Zn, and stainless steel/Fe/Cr/Ni. The arc current employed throughout was approximately 100 A. We find that the charge state distributions change depending on the elemental composition of the alloy or compound of which the cathode is fabricated.

• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 5215500
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA), Vol. 66:11; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ION SOURCES
CATHODES
ALLOYS
BRASS
CARBON
CHARGE STATE
COPPER
ELECTRIC ARCS
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SILICON
SILICON CARBIDES
TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD
TITANIUM CARBIDES
TITANIUM NITRIDES
TITANIUM OXIDES
TUNGSTEN CARBIDES
ZINC
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER ALLOYS
COPPER BASE ALLOYS
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
METALS
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TUNGSTEN COMPOUNDS
ZINC ALLOYS
700102* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Diagnostics