Numerical Simulation of Low-Current Vacuum Arc Plasma Jet in Strong Axial Magnetic Field

摘要

This paper deals with the computer modeling of a low-current vacuum arc with an external axial magnetic field taking into account the secondary plasma occurred due to anode sputtering by fast ions from cathode spot. The described hybrid model treats the electrons as a massless fluid and ions as macroparticles. The macroparticle dynamic is calculated with the use of PIC method. Ion-ion and ion electron Coulomb collision is considered with the use of MC method. It is shown that plasma jet in the interelectrode gap of several millimeters in size with the strong AMF is a plasma core-rod surrounded by a halo of neutral atoms. The appearance of the jet calculated in the framework of the model is qualitatively consistent with the experimental data.