It has been found for wires of varying diameters, (1) that, for field strengths of about 0.52×${10}^6$ volts/cm or less at the wire surface, there was no change in the rate of change of resistance with time and hence the rate of vaporization upon application of the field; (2) that, for field strengths above approximately 0.52×${10}^6$ volts/cm, as successively higher fields were applied, the rate of vaporization first decreased slowly, then more rapidly, and finally asymptotically toward zero at field strengths over 1.8×${10}^6$ volts/cm; (3) that, with increasing temperatures, the same field strength applied at the surface of a wire produced progressively smaller decreases in the rate of vaporization; (4) that, when there was an effect upon the rate of vaporization, sudden increases in resistance occurred when the field was applied, and sudden decreases when it was removed. Worthing has reported similar results for tungsten except that the sudden increases and decreases were opposite to those of platinum and molybdenum.

Close

PrevNext

View figure in article