OPERATING FEATURES OF A PULSE ARC PLASMA ACCELERATOR IN VACUUM

The vacuum pulse arc plasma accelerator was designed especially for obtaining metal plasma streams also its performance under vacuum level variation in chamber was accurately explored. By using axial symmetric electrodes, the formation of firstly glow discharge after arc discharge has shown at the cathode and subsequent plasma acceleration with anodic potential. With a high vacuum level rate that equaled to 10−4 mbars, the plasma compression to the system axis and plasma electromagnetic pinch was clearly observed. Also presented installation accompanying the high-velocity stream generation process, that goes above the observed normal speed of the main stream. This work contains the discussion of plasma generation mechanisms and its features of acceleration, and conditions for receiving coverings at the unit under various vacuum levels. Designed unit presented on this work is characterized by its structure simplicity and almost effectiveness.