Energetics of vacuum arc cathode spots

Vacuum arcs need to generate the current-carrying plasma at cathode spots. The cohesive energy of the cathode material determines the energy the arc needs to provide for the phase transitions of the cathode material. As recent experiments confirm, the greater the cohesive energy the higher the burning voltage ("cohesive energy rule"). This relation is founded in the energy balance of cathode spot operation, regardless of the specific cathode mechanisms involved. A greater power input, as determined by the cohesive energy via the cohesive energy rule, leads to enhanced power output in various forms such as enhanced electron temperature, ion charge states, and ion velocity. Using the Cohesive Energy Rule, secondary relations such as the well known relation between boiling point of the cathode and average ion charge state can be explained. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.