Study Of Erosion Rates And Surface Effects of Different Hollow Cathode Materials During Vacuum Microarc Discharge

Journal Article · Thu Mar 17 00:00:00 EST 2005 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1896488· OSTI ID:20630775

Atta Khedr, M ^[1]; Abdel Moneim, H M ^[2]

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1. National Institute of Laser Enhanced Sciences (Niles), Cairo University, Giza (Egypt)
2. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza (Egypt)

Studies of the properties of the emitted plasma from graphite, titanium, titanium Carbide, Stainless Steel, Cupper and Molybdenum Hollow Cathode materials during vacuum microarc were carried out. Using high voltage of 30 KV, short arc duration (0.5 - 4 {mu}s) and arc currents (100 - 450 A), each cathode material was subjected to 1000-3000 arc discharges under high vacuum (10-8 mbar) conditions. The angular distributions for the evaporants in each case were measured and show an exponential isotropic distribution in agreement with the theoretical predictions. The total erosion rates of evaporants and molten droplets were estimated and showed clearly their, dependence on the cathode material and on the hollow cathode geometry. The damages on the cathode surfaces and the inside of the hollow cathodes were investigated by the scanning electron microscope. Crater formation were formed spreading inside the hole of the hollow cathodes as well as on the rim surfaces and were found to differ according to both geometry and material of the hollow cathodes. The crater evacuation velocity and plasma pressure were determined. The damage on the anode tip showed erosion on the pen anode tip to the extent of drilling hole. The mechanism responsible for such phenomena is discussed.

• OSTI ID: 20630775
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 748, Issue 1; Conference: MTPR-04: 1. international conference on modern trends in physics research, Cairo (Egypt), 4-9 Apr 2004; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1896488; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
ANODES
COPPER
CRATERS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
EROSION
GRAPHITE
HOLLOW CATHODES
MOLYBDENUM
PLASMA
PLASMA PRESSURE
RESONANCE IONIZATION MASS SPECTROSCOPY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
STAINLESS STEELS
SURFACES
TITANIUM
TITANIUM CARBIDES