Electrodes of a Vacuum Chamber under the Action of an Arc in the Explosive Melting Zone

Abstract

After repeated exposure to an arc vacuum discharge, Cu (60%)—Cr (40%) alloyed systems show a change in the atomic concentration of copper (from 53.7 to 71.8 at %) and, correspondingly, of chromium. Mass spectrometry showed the presence in the residual atmosphere of diffusion devices of fragments of Cx $${\text{H}}_{y}^{ + }$$ -type molecules and molecules desorbed from all parts of the chamber—residual gas ions ( $${\text{CO}}_{2}^{ + }$$ , H2O+, $${\text{N}}_{2}^{ + }$$ , N+ and their polyatomic compositions). The inheritance of technological impurities from previous operations in the mass spectrum was found.