Investigation of composition and parameters of metal-gas plasma at vacuum arc evaporation of molybdenum cathode in the mode of plasma assistance

It is shown that simultaneous functioning of the self-sustained arc discharge with the integral-cold molybdenum cathode and non-self-sustained arc discharge with the thermionic and hollow cathodes allows to generate volume metal-gas plasma with density of ≥ 10¹⁰ cm⁻³, electrons temperature of ≈ 1–1.5 eV at the gas (argon) pressure of 0.3 Pa and working values of the arc current of evaporator (60–180) A into vacuum volumes of ≥ 0.1 m³ for effective coating synthesis based on molybdenum by vacuum arc plasma-assisted method. It has been established by the spectrometric method that neutral atoms and single-charged molybdenum ions are present in the area of molybdenum-based coatings condensation along with atoms and ions of the working gas. (paper)