Movement and Form of Cathode Spot of Vacuum Arc on Cylindrical Cathode Surface

Experimental results are presented on the movement and form of a cathode spot of a vacuum arc on the extended cylindrical titan cathode. The spot is shown to move in straight lines. This makes possible to determine the spot movement along the cathode with a required precision. Results of measurements of the spot movement velocity, its trajectory as well as forms and sizes of the cathode spot crater and plasma crown are given as functions of the arc current intensity.