Cathodic arc plasma density and profile measurements

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:323604

Wood, B P; Tuszewski, M G ^[1]; Pesensen, D; Wessel, F ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
2. Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)

The authors report a series of measurements of ion current density (with a Faraday cup) and integrated electron line density (with a microwave interferometer) for a cathodic arc derived plasma. The ion current measurements were made at various radii from the center of the plasma plume. They compare the differences in electron density and plasma radial profile between cathode materials (erbium and titanium), arc current (100 A to 400 A), pressure (10{sup {minus}6} torr to 10{sup {minus}3} torr), and the presence or absence of a series magnetic solenoid around the coaxial anode and cathode. They find that (1) higher pressure reduces the peak current density; (2) Ti yields a higher peak current density than Er; (3) Er yields a wider FWHM plasma profile than Ti; (4) presence of a solenoid yields a higher peak current density and higher integrated line density; and (5) higher arc current yields a higher peak current density and higher integrated line density.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 323604
• Report Number(s): CONF-970559--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTRODES
ION IMPLANTATION
ION SOURCES
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PLASMA RADIAL PROFILES