N. K. Mitrofanov, K. K. Zabello, V. A. Nemchinsky, S. M. Shkol'nik, “Influence of current ripple on the tungsten cathode erosion”, Zhurnal Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, 2016, Volume 86, Issue 4,Pages <nobr>145

Brief Communications

Influence of current ripple on the tungsten cathode erosion

N. K. Mitrofanov^a, K. K. Zabello^a, V. A. Nemchinsky^b, S. M. Shkol'nik^a

^a Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg
^b Keiser University, Fort Lauderdale, USA

Abstract: The erosion of a thermionic tungsten cathode is studied. Arc burning conditions under which gas–vapor erosion causes cathode mass losses are determined. It is shown that erosion does not depend on the current ripple amplitude and is roughly equal to 2 ng/C. In experiments, the current ripple amplitude ranges from $\pm$1% to $\pm$50%.

Keywords: Erosion Loss, Current Ripple, Tungsten Cathode, Initial Erosion, Cathode Erosion.

Received: 15.07.2015