Feasibility of Time-Resolved Integral Field Spectroscopy for Vacuum Arc Observation

Spectroscopic observation is widely used as an indispensable tool for vacuum arc diagnosis. The method is various from a spectrometer to a narrow band interference filter. Using a spectrometer, arc image is cut out by slit in a direction perpendicular or parallel to the axis of the arc. In an actual arc, the discharge site moves on the contact surface. So when intensity of spectrum changed, we cannot determine whether intensity of the arc or position of the arc has varied. With a narrow band interference filter we can obtain two-dimensional image, but the wavelength is limited.In astronomy, a method which can acquire the wavelength information of the entire field at a time is used. The method is called Integral Field Spectroscopy. The authors believe this method can be applied to vacuum arc observation with highspeed VTR system. (Time-resolved Integral Field spectroscopy) To examine the feasibility of this method, the authors assembled a trial models and observed vacuum arc with them.