From Field Emission to Vacuum Arc Ignition: A New Tool for Simulating Copper Vacuum Arcs

Understanding plasma initiation in vacuum arc discharges can help to bridge the gap between nano‐scale triggering phenomena and the macroscopic surface damage caused by vacuum arcs. We present a new twodimensional particle‐in‐cell tool to simulate plasma initiation in direct‐current (DC) copper vacuum arc discharges starting from a single, strong field emitter at the cathode. Our simulations describe in detail how a sub‐micron field emission site can evolve to a macroscopic vacuum arc discharge, and provide a possible explanation for why and how cathode spots can spread on the cathode surface. Furthermore, the model provides us with a prediction for the current and voltage characteristics, as well as for properties of the plasma like densities, fluxes and electric potentials in a simple DC discharge case, which are in agreement with the known experimental values. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Über den Gleichspannungsdurchschlag im Ultrahochvakuum

DC-breakdowns with arc-conditioned electrodes in vapour-free vacuum have been investigated with high temporal resolution. The breakdowns started always with a cathode flare, the ignition voltage of which was strongly correlated with prebreakdown field emission. The temporal development of gap plasma, discharge current and gap voltage during the breakdowns could be satisfactorily explained by the models of explosive electron emission and space-charge limited diode conduction. No change of mechanism was observed with gap distances up to 6 mm and voltages up to 120 kV. Generally the resistance of the discharge channel became low enough for a transition to the arc stage. However, in a few cases a self-limitation of the discharge occurred due to starvation of the material transfer from the cathode. At higher gap distances the surrounding walls had a distinct influence on the ignition of the discharges.     

Experimental investigations of the currents collected by metalshields in high-current vacuum arcs

This paper presents experimental results of currents collected on the three-element condensation shield connected to the cathode potential in high-current vacuum arcs. The arc current had 900 Hz, 150 Hz, or 50 Hz half-cycle sinusoidal shapes and was conducted between the CuCr40 contacts with a diameter of 50 mm (cathode) and 30 mm (anode) spaced 10 mm apart. Most of the measurements were made for the current of 900 Hz with peak values up to 9 kA. Arc voltage, floating shield potential, and distribution of shield currents were measured. It was found that the current collected by the shield and also the arc voltage and floating shield potential are greater for higher frequency currents, and that they are affected by the arc mode. Considerable shield current is observed during a high-amplitude (HA) oscillation sequence of arc voltage while its mean value is increased. For 900-Hz arcs at the 9-kA peak value (I_am), the ratio of shield current (i_s) to an instantaneous value of arc current (i_a) reaches even 40% near I_am value. In the initial half-cycle period (before the initiation of high-voltage oscillation), the ratio of i_s/i_a increases with i_a and current frequency. A close relationship was found between arc voltage and current distribution on a three-element shield     

缩比间隙中辉光放电相似性的初步研究

为了研究缩比实验在气体放电中的有效性, 对缩比间隙中的低气压氩气放电进行了数值模拟. 根据气体放电相似性的猜想, 如果间隙气压p和间隙距离d的乘积为常量, 即p₁d₁=p₂d₂, 并且约化电场E/p 在两个间隙中的空间分布相同, 那么这两个放电间隙的放电特性存在相似性. 数值模拟中设置三个缩比间隙: 气隙A的长度为30 mm, 气压为1 Torr (1 Torr=133.322 Pa); 气隙B的长度为15 mm, 气压为2 Torr; 气隙C的长度为10 mm, 气压为3 Torr. 仿真结果表明, 三个间隙均为辉光放电, 并存在明显的阴极位降区. 间隙A, B, C 的阴极位降区的厚度d_C分别为2.71, 1.35和0.87 mm, 相对应的pd值几乎相同, 即pd_C≈2.70 Torr·mm. 这与氩气辉光放电Paschen曲线最低点(pd≈2.86 Torr·mm)相近. 缩比间隙的放电参数的特性(如工作电压、电场、电流密度、电子密度和离子密度的沿“空间”px的分布)的数值计算结果与放电相似性猜想所预计的结果一致. 所以, 可以认为放电相似性猜想适用于低气压氩气缩比间隙的辉光放电. 关键词： 放电相似性 辉光放电 缩比间隙     

介质阻挡放电点燃大气压直流均匀放电的光谱研究

由于大气压均匀放电等离子体在工业领域具有广泛的应用前景,为了获得大尺寸的大气压均匀等离子体,采用氩气作为工作气体,在大气压空气环境中利用同轴介质阻挡放电点燃了针-板电极间的大气隙(气隙宽度达到5 cm)直流均匀放电。研究发现,同轴介质阻挡放电能够有效降低针-板电极间的击穿电压。该均匀放电由等离子体柱、等离子体羽、阴极暗区和阴极辉区组成。其中等离子体柱和阴极辉区都是连续放电。而等离子体羽不同位置的放电是不同时的。事实上,等离子体羽放电是由从阴极向着等离子体柱移动的发光光层(即等离子体子弹)叠加而成。利用电学方法测量了放电的伏安特性曲线,发现其与低气压正常辉光放电类似,均具有负斜率。采集了放电的发射光谱,发现存在N₂第二正带系、氩原子和氧原子谱线。通过Boltzmann plot方法对放电等离子体电子激发温度进行了空间分辨测量,发现等离子体柱的电子激发温度比等离子体羽的电子激发温度低。通过分析放电机制,对以上现象进行了定性解释。这些研究结果对大气压均匀放电等离子体源的研制和工业应用具有重要意义。     

实验研究大气压多脉冲辉光放电的模式和机理

采用稍不平行电极进行大气压He气介质阻挡多脉冲辉光放电实验,通过增强电子耦合器件相机短时曝光照片,研究大气压多脉冲辉光放电在不同时刻的放电模式.通过气隙放电电流、表面电荷计算,理论分析了表面电荷、空间电荷、外加电压与气隙电场强度的关系,研究大气压辉光放电形成多脉冲的机理.实验结果表明,放电首先在间隙稍窄的电极左端开始;在第一个脉冲电流峰值,电极右端也开始放电;第一个电流脉冲经历了Townsend放电到辉光放电的过程;电流脉冲之间的时间内,间隙一直维持着微弱的辉光放电;随后的每个电流脉冲均是辉光放电.理论分析表明,大气压辉光放电的多个电流脉冲是表面电荷、空间电荷与外加电压共同演化的结果;除放电伊始出现Townsend放电外,同一半周期内的放电电流脉冲中不会再出现Townsend放电. 关键词： 介质阻挡放电 增强电子耦合器件 大气压辉光放电 多脉冲     

实验研究大气压多脉冲辉光放电的模式和机理

采用稍不平行电极进行大气压He气介质阻挡多脉冲辉光放电实验,通过增强电子耦合器件相机短时曝光照片,研究大气压多脉冲辉光放电在不同时刻的放电模式.通过气隙放电电流、表面电荷计算,理论分析了表面电荷、空间电荷、外加电压与气隙电场强度的关系,研究大气压辉光放电形成多脉冲的机理.实验结果表明,放电首先在间隙稍窄的电极左端开始;在第一个脉冲电流峰值,电极右端也开始放电;第一个电流脉冲经历了Townsend放电到辉光放电的过程;电流脉冲之间的时间内,间隙一直维持着微弱的辉光放电;随后的每个电流脉冲均是辉光放电.理论分析表明,大气压辉光放电的多个电流脉冲是表面电荷、空间电荷与外加电压共同演化的结果;除放电伊始出现Townsend放电外,同一半周期内的放电电流脉冲中不会再出现Townsend放电.     

Negative coronas: Low current mode – pulse mode transition

In the paper the results of experimental study of negative corona in a point – plane gap in a dust-free air flow at atmospheric pressure are presented. Both the low current mode (LCM) of the discharge and Trichel pulses are externally triggered by UV light. Close to the inception voltage of Trichel pulses short-duration current spikes appear besides the steady component of the LCM which indicates to the switch-on of Fowler-Nordheim type emission mechanism. At the inception voltage spike – Trichel pulse transition is recorded. The influence of dielectric layers at the cathode on the discharge parameters is discussed.     

Triggering of radial multichannel pseudospark switches by a pulsedhollow cathode discharge

We report on a special trigger discharge for pulsed high-power pseudospark switches. The switch used is a radial three-channel pseudospark switch. For triggering, a cylindrical trigger electrode is inserted into the hollow cathode of the main gap. This electrode acts as a hollow cathode for the dc preionization, while the hollow cathode of the main gap is the anode. A negative high-voltage pulse supplied to the trigger electrode ignites the main discharge. We report the temporal evolution of the trigger discharge observed with a fast camera. This trigger method gives an excellent current distribution among the discharge channels, as can be proven by fast photography. The switch has a delay of 220 ns and a jitter of 15 ns     

Experimental study of the discharge glow structure in the initial phase of a nanosecond breakdown of an insulating gap

The diffuse phase of high-voltage nanosecond atmospheric-pressure discharges in insulating gaps with a highly nonuniform electric field has been studied experimentally with the purpose of developing methods for protecting power supply equipment from natural and man-caused overvoltages. The structure of the discharge glow in 6- to 12-cm rod-plane gaps has been investigated for five configurations of the rod cathode. It is found that the discharge can exist in different forms and that the occurrence of one or another type of discharge is probabilistic in character. The electric characteristics of the discharge have been studied as functions of the electrode gap length for two types of cathode that provide the preferential development of volume and multichannel discharges. It is shown that the main factors governing the shape of the discharge glow are the distribution of the electric field near the cathode in the voltage growth phase and the dynamics of the accompanying discharge processes.     

Study of Intense Electron Beams Produced by High-Voltage Pulsed Glow Discharges

We report the generation of high-current-density (20 A/cm2) pulsed electron beams from high-voltage (48-100 kV) glow discharges using cathodes 7.5 cm in diameter. The pulse duration was determined by the energy of the pulse generator and varied between 0.2 ?s and several microseconds, depending on the discharge current. The largest electron beam current (900 A) was obtained with an oxidized aluminum cathode in a helium-oxygen atmosphere. An oxidized magnesium cathode produced similar results, and a molybdenum cathode operated at considerably lower currents. A small-diameter (<1 mm) well-collimated beam of energetic electrons of very high current density (>1 kA/cm2) was also observed to develop in the center of the discharge. Electrostatic probe measurements show that the negative glow plasma density and the electron beam current have a similar spatial distribution. Electron temperatures of 1-1.5 eV were measured at 7 cm from the cathode. The plasma density (8.5 · 1011 cm-3 at 450 A) was found to depend linearly on the discharge current. In discharges at high currents a denser and higher temperature plasma region was observed to develop at approximately 20 cm from the cathode. We have modeled the process of electron beam generation and predicted the energy distribution of the electron beam. More than 95 percent of the electron beam energy is calculated to be within 10 percent of that corresponding to the discharge voltage.     

The Studies of a Vacuum Gap Breakdown after High-Current Arc Interruption with Increasing the Voltage

Vacuum-gap breakdown has been studied after high-current arc interruption with a subsequent increase in the transient recovery voltage across a gap. The effects of factors, such as the rate of the rise in the transient voltage, the potential of the shield that surrounds a discharge gap, and the arc burning time, have been determined. It has been revealed that opening the contacts earlier leads to the formation of an anode spot, which is the source of electrode material vapors into the discharge gap after current zero moment. Under the conditions of increasing voltage, this fact results in the breakdown. Too late opening leads to the breakdown of a short gap due to the high electric fields.     

氘化物阴极真空弧放电光斑分布

氘化物真空弧放电在许多领域均有应用,如无损检测、石油探井、中子活化分析等。和金属阴极不同,氘化物阴极放电时会释放大量的气体分子,表现出许多不同性质。采用放大镜头和ICCD相机观察了氘化物阴极真空弧放电光斑分布。测量系统的空间分辨率约为5 μm,时间分辨率最小2 ns。放电脉冲半高全宽（FWHM）0.9 μs,弧流波形为半周期正弦波。实验结果表明,氘化物真空弧放电时,所有阴极斑聚集为一个群落,表现为一个大光斑;在液滴作用下,阴极斑群落偶尔也会分裂为两个或多个群落;光斑形状不受弧流影响,但面积和亮度会随弧流增加而增大。氘化物阴极放电斑点聚集有利于产生高密度等离子体,提高放电效率。     

Corona discharges in sub-millimeter electrode gaps

Atmospheric pressure wire-to-plane positive corona discharges have been explored experimentally in electrode gaps from 0.3 mm to 5 mm. Reductions in the gap distance and wire diameter resulted in a significant increase in discharge currents and lowered onset potentials, and the current–voltage characteristics followed the typical Townsend’s relationship. The experimentally observed onset potentials were higher than Peek’s prediction although they still showed the same logarithmic behavior with gap distance. Additionally, a theoretical relationship for the current–voltage discharge in a wire-to-plane configuration was derived to obtain the dependence on the geometric parameters, and it compared well with the experimental results.     

氩气介质阻挡放电不同放电模式的电学特性研究

采用水电极介质阻挡放电装置，在气压为40kPa的氩气中实现了弥散、流光和斑图三种不同 模式的放电，并对其光电特性进行测量.通过测量测试电容上的电压，从而将气隙电压计算 出来，发现随外加电压增加，放电起始时刻不断提前，放电占空比增加；对应放电时刻，气 隙电压减小、输运电荷突增，使得气隙电压和电量波形都远远偏离正弦.气隙电压与输运电 荷成非线性关系.给出了外加电压零点对应的气隙电压随外加电压峰值的变化关系.讨论了壁 电荷在放电中的作用及对气隙电压和电量波形的影响. 关键词： 介质阻挡放电 气隙电压 自组织斑图 输运电荷     

Das Eindringen der Glimmentladung in Spalte

The fractional area of the cathode covered by the negative glow in low pressure hydrogen discharges has been studied using a special co - planar anode - cathode configuration. The cathode was a steel bar of 2×2×64 cm, sectionalised into 32 insulated parts. An identical electrode mounted directly above the cathode at a variable separation facilitated the simulation of screening effects of insulating or conducting walls and of hollow cathode conditions. The depth of penetrationξ of the discharge into this gap was studied for various conditions. In general for the insulating wall condition,ξ is approximately proportional to the applied voltage and depends on the gap width and pressure. The electron current in the negative glow parallel to the cathode surface as well as the cathode current density at any distancex from the anode vary exponentially withη=ξ-?. The potential of the negative glow in the gap decreases slowly with? to the “normal” cathode fall at?=ξ. In the case of the conducting wall, the discharge can penetrate to any depth, provided the wall is maintained at a potential ≧ the “normal” cathode fall. For a hollow cathodeξ is small, but the current density near the anode reaches extremely high values.     

Experimental observation of high-voltage, low-current vacuum arcs

A poorly explored type of discharge has been investigated in high vacuum (10^-7 to 10^-6 torr), with a DC high voltage across 0.2- to 0.8-mm gaps. The discharge has been found to be quite different from other widely known types of vacuum and gas discharges by the combination of its voltage-current characteristics (hyperbola-type), source and carriers of current (mostly electrons), and spatial potential distribution (a considerable electric field across the gap and a steep potential fall near the cathode)     

2D Simulations of Short‐Pulsed Dielectric Barrier Discharge Xenon Excimer Lamp

Self‐consistent two‐dimensional (2D) simulations of short‐pulsed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in pure xenon have been performed. It is shown that during short current pulse the traversal inhomogeneity of the plasma parameters can be important only at the end of the current pulse as an edge effect close to the side walls. During the current pulse, the gap voltage drops until the ionization wave reaches the cathode so the current in the cathode sheath is the displacement current. This means that almost all of the absorbed power is deposited into excitation of xenon atoms and not to the ion heating in the cathode sheath as in the traditional glow discharges. This fact is one of the reasons of high efficiency of short‐pulsed DBD. The developed model allows one to estimate the temporal position of the plasma‐sheath boundary. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

针-板和针-水电极大气压直流辉光放电的光谱特性

利用光谱学方法,对针-水电极和针-板电极直流辉光放电特性进行了比较研究。结果发现两种装置产生的放电都有明显的分区现象, 从阴极到阳极分别为负辉区、阴极暗区、正柱区和阳极辉区。针-板电极放电中可以清晰地观测到阳极暗区, 而针-水电极放电阳极暗区不明显。对比两种放电的伏安特性曲线,发现放电电压均随电流增大而减小,但相同电流下针-水电极间的电压大于针-板电极间的电压。由于伏安特性具有负斜率,且放电电流密度介于10-5～10-4 A·cm-2,说明两种装置中的放电均处于正常辉光放电阶段。在正常辉光放电的范围内比较两种放电的发射光谱, 发现发射光谱中都包含N₂的第二正带系(含波长为337.1 nm的谱线)和N+₂的第一负带系(含波长为391.4 nm的谱线),但相对强度不同。利用光谱学方法对放电发射谱的谱线强度比I_391.4／I_337.1和振动温度进行了空间分辨测量,发现相同位置处针-水电极放电的谱线强度比要比针-板电极放电的大,并且相同位置处针-水电极放电的振动温度高。