Articles you may be interested inAn ultra-low leakage current single carbon nanotube diode with split-gate and asymmetric contact geometry Appl.The ,tatistical distributions of break-arc durations have been examined as functions of arc current and number of operations under both "clean" and contaminated conditions. Exponential distributions were found for arcs between clean palladium electrodes operating below 0.9 A. At higher currents a Gaussian-(normal) type distribution was observed. Under highly contaminated condition;, the Gaussian distribution was observed at all current levels examined. These distributions have been discussed in terms of the "ionic-burst" mechanism and thermionic emission. A model for the so-called activation or arc-duration enhancement of arcs is presented.