Effects of Non-Ideality and Non-Equilibrium in the Cathode Spot Plasma of Vacuum Arcs

摘要: The cathode spot plasma of a metal vapour arc in vacuum is non-ideal (electron density ne ∼ 1025–1027 m−3, temperature T 1–5 eV, parameter Γ = 0.6−0.1). fast expansion the into ambient leads to non-equilibrium charge state distribution (“frozen” ionization). calculations presented show that freezing different states appears at distances from spot, therefore densities and temperatures. In this way, specific proportions ion species are produced which do not agree with any equilibrium state. occurs near (γ 5–50 μm, γ — distance centre) where weakly (Γ 0.2–0.6).