The Interaction of Vacuum Arc Ion Currents with Axia I Magnetic Fields

We summarize a series of experiments in which we measured the distribution of ion currents leaving the interelectrode region of a vacuum arc with Cu electrodes. Ion currents were collected by an arrangement of cylindrical collectors surrounding the arcing space. A Helmholtz coil arrangement surrounding the arcing chamber generated the axial magnetic field. Arc currents ranged from 70 to 2400 A dc.