FIELD: physics.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to investigation of physical properties of substances, in particular to investigation of processes in gas-discharge devices and plasma. The method of heating a cathode and igniting arc discharge involves applying voltage between an anode and a cathode at a certain distance from each other. The arising current melts and evaporates a thin wire which is placed between the electrodes. The distance between the electrodes is such that discharge does not take place spontaneously without the wire, and between the electrodes there are conditions for avalanche breakdown of the discharge gap, which arises when there is vapour of the evaporating wire in the air.
EFFECT: heating a cathode and ignition of non-self maintained arc discharge when a wire evaporates in a discharge gap.
1 dwg
