Visual and Electrical Evidence Supporting a Two-Plasma Mechanism of Vacuum Breakdown Initiation
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- ORNL
The energy available during vacuum breakdown between copper electrodes at high vacuum was limited using resistors in series with the vacuum gap and arresting diodes. Surviving features observed with SEM in postmortem samples were tentatively correlated with electrical signals captured during breakdown using a Rogowski coil and a high-voltage probe. The visual and electrical evidence is consistent with the qualitative model of vacuum breakdown by unipolar arc formation by Schwirzke [1, 2]. The evidence paints a picture of two plasmas of different composition and scale being created during vacuum breakdown: an initial plasma made of degassed material from the metal surface, ignites a plasma made up of the electrode material.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1048170
- Journal Information:
- IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 40; ISSN ITPSBD; ISSN 0093-3813
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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