Abstract
The paper reviews the state of the art in the study of the physical processes in the cathode spot of a vacuum arc. The most important experimental data are explained in terms of the ecton model of a cathode spot. The finite lifetime of an ecton is responsible for the cyclic character of the processes occurring in a cathode spot. It has been shown that the arc plasma is generated by microexplosions occurring at the cathode surface heated by the Joule mechanism due to the high explosive emission current density. Up to kiloampere currents, the charge state of the arc plasma and the directed velocities of the ions are governed by the operation of a cathode spot cell-an ecton.
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