Simulation of the Explosion of a Surface Microprotrusion During a Radio Frequency Breakdown

This paper presents results of a numerical simulation of the explosion of a surface microprotrusion exposed to a radio frequency electromagnetic field. The integral of specific current action has been estimated for an RF and a dc electric field causing a microprotrusion explosion. It has been shown that in both cases, the microexplosion and the subsequent crater formation occur in much the same way. The results obtained support the hypothesis that a dc vacuum breakdown and a breakdown initiated by an RF wave incident on a metal surface proceed by the same mechanism.