Dependence of electron and neutral vapor density distributions on anode mode of high current vacuum arc

The vacuum arc discharge makes transition to a footpoint mode, anode spot type 1 (type 1) mode and anode spot type 2 (type 2) mode under high current conditions. The mode dependence of the electron and metal vapor densities were experimentally quantified using dichroic Shack-Hartmann type laser wavefront sensors. In the type 1 mode, the electron and metal vapor densities were about 2.5 times higher than the footpoint mode. The electron density of the type 2 mode was three times higher than that of the type 1 mode, while significant difference was not found in the metal vapor density. Such higher electron density for the type 2 mode than the type 1 mode was coherent with a previous result obtained by Stark broadening. The present electron and metal vapor density measurement demonstrated that the amount of the electrode erosion was in the following order: footpoint mode < type 1 mode < type 2 mode, which agreed with a previous study.