The　objective　of　this　article　is　to　determine　the　influence　mechanism　of　the　cathode　materials　on　the　transition　process　of　the　arc　modes　in　high-current　drawn　vacuum　arcs　under　the　external　axial　magnetic　field　(AMF).　Six　kinds　of　pure　metal　of　Cu,　W,　Mo,　Fe,　Cr,　and　Al　were　selected　as　the　cathode　materials.　A　high-speed　charge-coupled　device　(CCD)　video　camera　was　selected　to　record　the　arc　appearance.　The　experimental　results　indicate　that　the　cathode　materials　had　a　great　effect　on　the　arc　modes　in　the　high-current　vacuum　arcs　with　the　application　of　AMF.　Under　the　cathode　of　W　and　Mo,　the　arc　modes　turned　to　the　constriction　arc　mode　and　the　anode　spot　arc　mode　more　easily　than　that　under　the　cathode　of　Cu,　Fe,　Cr,　and　Al,　with　the　increase　of　the　arc　current.　For　various　cathode　materials　and　same　anode,　the　critical　current　density　inputting　to　anode　surface　for　the　transform　of　vacuum　arc　modes　was　different.　This　should　be　caused　by　the　differences　in　the　constricted　characteristics　and　the　ion　energy　of　the　vacuum　arcs,　which　took　a　significant　effect　on　the　transition　process　of　the　arc　modes　in　the　vacuum　arcs　under　AMF.　The　higher　ion　energy　would　lead　to　a　more　active　anode,　which　resulted　in　the　positive　ion　and　metal　vapor　from　the　anode.　Moreover,　the　cathode　materials　played　different　roles　in　the　various　stages　of　the　discharging　process　of　the　drawn　vacuum　arcs.　The　effect　of　cathode　material　on　the　transition　process　of　the　arc　modes　in　the　high-current　vacuum　arc　mainly　took　in　Stage　II,　which　sustained　from　the　end　of　the　bridge　arc　column　to　the　arc　current　peak　and　dominated　the　transition　process　of　the　arc　modes.　©　1973-2012　IEEE.