Based on the analysis of ectonic processes, a model of ion flow generation in vacuum arcs is proposed. It is shown that the ionization composition and velocities of the directed motion of ions are formed as a result of the explosive destruction of the cathode microparticles due to Joule heating with a high current density. During the operation of the Ecton cathode substance in a short time (~ 1 ns) successively passes the condensed state, the stage of non-ideal and ideal plasma. Under the action of the electron pressure gradient, the cathode plasma ions at distances of several microns acquire directed velocities at the level of 106 cm/s. in this Case, the ionization processes are also concentrated in a narrow region of the order of a micron near the cathode, and in the future the ionization composition of the plasma does not change. The increase in the arc current up to kiloampere is accompanied by a simple increase in the number of simultaneously functioning ectons, which explains the experimental data on the weak dependence of the ion flow parameters on the vacuum arc current.
An increase in the arc current above the kiloampere leads to the compression of the collectivized plasma jet due to its own magnetic field. "Freezing" of the charge composition near the cathode in this case does not occur, and the average charge monotonically grows along the entire plasma jet. Within the framework of the proposed model, analytical expressions describing the main parameters of the vacuum arc plasma, such as the electron temperature, the average charge and the velocity of the plasma ions, as well as the distribution of the electric field potential in the interelectrode interval, are obtained.
