Treatment of Materials in Radial Low-Pressure Arc Plasma Streams

摘要

Experimental results from studies into the radial plasma flow components in a vacuum-arc plasma source with magnetic focusing are considered. Titanium as a cathode material, nitrogen and argon as working gases were used. The pressure under study ranged between 10~(-2) and 10 Pa. The presence of the magnetic field (up to 7.5 mT) leads to a significant increase in the content of gaseous ions moving along the normal to the discharge axis. The relationship between gas and metal particle flow intensities strongly depends on the pressure. Owing to this, various processes different in their action on the surface to be treated can be combined in one working cycle through transition from one pressure value to another and by controlling the negative bias voltage.