Visual and Electrical Evidence Supporting a Two-Plasma Mechanism of Vacuum Breakdown Initiation
Abstract
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.
Recommended Citation
C. H. Castano Giraldo et al., "Visual and Electrical Evidence Supporting a Two-Plasma Mechanism of Vacuum Breakdown Initiation," IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Jan 2012.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1109/TPS.2012.2186466
Department(s)
Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science
Keywords and Phrases
Breakdown Model; Plasma Material Interactions; Unipolar Arc; Vacuum Breakdown
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0093-3813
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2012 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jan 2012
