Vacuum Arc Discharge on Integrally Cold Cathode

An interchangeable-cathode vacuum arc plasma source.

A simplified vacuum arc design [based on metal vapor vacuum arc (MeVVA) concepts] is employed as a plasma source for a study of a (7)Be non-neutral plasma. The design includes a mechanism for interchanging the cathode source. Testing of the plasma source showed that it is capable of producing on the order of 10(12) charges at confinable energies using a boron-carbide disk as the cathode target....

Macroparticle generation in DC arc discharge from a WC cathode

We have studied macroparticle generation from a tungsten carbide (WC) cathode used in a dc vacuum arc discharge. Despite a relatively high decomposition/melting point (~ 3100 K), there is an intensive generation of visible particles with sizes in the range 20-35 μm. Visual observations during the discharge and scanning electron microscopy of the cathode surface as well as of collected macropart...

Macroparticle Charging in a Pulsed Vacuum Arc Thruster Discharge

A pulsed vacuum arc discharge emits a plasma as well as macroparticles in the form of micron-sized molten droplets of cathode material. Due to their trajectory and size, these macroparticles often pose a contamination threat for both spacecraft-based thrusters, and thin film deposition systems. The charge of these macroparticles was experimentally measured, and compared to a model based on ther...

Stark broadening experiments on a vacuum arc discharge in tin vapor.

Pinched discharge plasmas in tin vapor are candidates for application in future semiconductor lithography tools. This paper presents time-resolved measurements of Stark broadened linewidths in a pulsed tin discharge. Stark broadening parameters have been determined for four lines of the Sn III spectrum in the range from 522 to 538 nm, based on a cross-calibration to a Sn II line with a previous...

Vacuum arc plasma generation and thin film deposition from a TiB2 cathode