Characterization of hollow cathode vacuum arc with axial magnetic field as a concentrated heat source

This study examines the physical characteristics of hollow cathode vacuum arcs under axial magnetic field confinement (ME-HCVA). These characteristics mainly include voltage-current response, arc shape, spectral intensity. According to the experimental results, the ME-HCVA was compressed into a blue-white column at low discharge current. As the gas flow increases, the ME-HCVA power exhibits characterized by two stages: a reduces stage (low gas flow) and a stable stage (high gas flow). The axial magnetic field increased the ME-HCVA discharge voltage indicating that the axial magnetic field can increase the ME-HCVA power. The ME-HCVA power at low discharge current can be greater than that at high discharge current by changing the gas flow rate. As the applied magnetic field increased in intensity, the spectral intensity of the ME-HCVA first increased and then stabilized. The spectral line intensity of Ar ions in the ME-HCVA (ArII) increased more rapidly than that of Ar atoms. The axial magnetic field increases the melting width, depth and depth-to-width ratios of the ME-HCVA.