Electrical and Spectral Characteristics of a Heated Cathode Discharge in Metal Vapors

A new type of discharge in pure metal vapors like copper or titanium is described. A stable discharge is produced between a heated cathode and the anode which has a melted spot on its surface due to the electron bombardment. The spectral characteristics prove that the discharge take place in the vapors of the anode material continuously evaporated from the melted spot on the anode. The discharge has a similar behaviour as the low voltage arc.