Control of vacuum arc source cathode spots contraction motion by changing electromagnetic field

This paper investigates the magnetic field component impact on cathode spots motion trajectory and the mechanism of periodic contraction. Electromagnetic coils and permanent magnets were installed at the different sides of cathode surface, the photographs of cathode spots motion trajectory were captured by a camera. Increasing the number of magnets and decreasing the distance between magnets and cathode both lead to enhancing cathode spots motion velocity. Radii of cathode spots trajectory decrease gradually with the increasing of electromagnetic coil’s current, from 40 mm at 0 A to 10 mm at 2.7 A. Parallel magnetic field component intensity influence the speed of cathode spots rotate motion, and perpendicular magnetic field component drives spots drift in the radial direction. Cathode spot’s radial drift is controlled by changing the location of the ‘zero line’ where perpendicular magnetic component shifts direction and the radius of cathode spots trajectory almost equal to ‘zero line’.