On possible reasons of positive near-anode voltage drop in high-current vacuum arc

Abstract

Abstract In this paper we consider some reasons for the occurrence of a positive near-anode potential drop during current constriction in high-current vacuum arc. It is shown that if the radius of constriction is much larger than the electron mean free path, then a positive voltage drop in the near-anode plasma sheath does not occur, but an additional drop may occur in the near-anode plasma layer due to the anomalous resistance. If the current constriction radius is much less than the electron mean free path, then a positive voltage drop in the sheath arises under the usual condition, and the kinetic instabilities in the near-anode plasma do not develop.