Ion charge states distributions of alloy-cathode vacuum arc plasmas

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/27.782259· OSTI ID:682232

Schuelke, T ^[1]; Anders, A ^[2]

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1. Fraunhofer Resource Center Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
2. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)

Ion charge state distributions (CSD`s) of alloy-cathode vacuum arc plasmas have been calculated under the assumption that thermodynamic equilibrium is valid in the vicinity of the cathode spot, and equilibrium CSD`s freeze when the plasma is rapidly expanding. In this way, experimental data of titanium-hafnium alloy-cathode plasmas have been simulated using a system of Saha equations generalized for multiple elements. It was found that the CSD`s of titanium and hafnium freeze approximately at the same plasma temperature and density. The freezing parameters depend slightly on the plasma composition. For the example considered, freezing occurs at temperature of T = 3.0--3.8 eV and a total heavy particle density of order 10{sup 25} m{sup {minus}3}.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 682232
• Report Number(s): CONF-980818--
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 27; ISSN ITPSBD; ISSN 0093-3813
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
CHARGE STATES
ELECTRIC ARCS
HAFNIUM ALLOYS
IONIC COMPOSITION
LTE
MULTICHARGED IONS
PLASMA EXPANSION
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PLASMA SIMULATION
TITANIUM ALLOYS