Simultaneous measurement of two-dimensional electron and vapour density distribution over vacuum arc

Abstract

Shack-Hartmann type laser wavefront sensors were applied to simultaneous imaging of two-dimensional electron and copper vapour density distributions over decaying vacuum arc discharges with a pulsed current waveform. Our experimental results showed that the proportions of the electron densities in the total particle densities became higher with increasing time, while the absolute values of the electron and copper vapour densities decreased over the measurement time.