We are developing a model of vacuum arcs. This model assumes that arcs
develop as a result of mechanical failure of the surface due to Coulomb
explosions, followed by ionization of fragments by field emission and the
development of a small, dense plasma that interacts with the surface primarily
through self sputtering and terminates as a unipolar arc capable of producing
breakdown sites with high enhancement factors. We have attempted to produce a
self consistent picture of triggering, arc evolution and surface damage. We are
modeling these mechanisms using Molecular Dynamics (mechanical failure, Coulomb
explosions, self sputtering), Particle-In-Cell (PIC) codes (plasma evolution),
mesoscale surface thermodynamics (surface evolution), and finite element
electrostatic modeling (field enhancements). We can present a variety of
numerical results. We identify where our model differs from other descriptions
of this phenomenon.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure