Formation Model of Cathode Surface Structure in Contact with Plasma Flows of High-current Low-inductance Vacuum Spark

This paper presents a model describing formation of a submicron surface structure on electrodes of high-current low-inductance vacuum spark. The model is based on the development of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, which occurs at the boundary of tangential discontinuity between plasma and melt. This model has been used to determine the most probable lengths of instability waves, the rate of which conforms to the available sizes of structural elements on electrodes surface.