Optimising Ion Production in Pulsed Refractory and Non-Refractory Cathodic Arcs

Abstract

Filtered cathodic vacuum arcs are used industrially in thin film and surface modification applications.Recent work has suggested their use as efficient thrusters for satellite orbit correction. Both of these applications would benefit from more efficient ion production per unit mass eroded from the cathode. In this paper we show how operation of cathodic arcs in the pulsed mode allows control over ion production per unit mass eroded. Titanium and tin were selected as examples of refractory and non-refractory metals.For both materials, short pulses resulted in the most ions per unit mass of eroded cathode material, although there were large differences observed between tin and titanium in the mass of material eroded per unit charge transiting the cathode.