It　is　well-known　that　when　high　currents　flow　through　a　vacuum　gap,　anode　spots　are　formed　on　the　anode　surface.　However,　anode　flare　phenomena　are　also　observed　in　low-current　vacuum　discharges.　The　objective　of　this　article　is　to　experimentally　observe　the　spatial　distribution　of　excited　Cu　atoms　and　ions　generated　from　a　single　cathode　spot　(CS)　and　to　interpret　the　mechanism　of　the　anode　flare　at　low　currents　(40-80　A).　Optical　emission　spectroscopy　(OES)　and　laser-induced　fluorescence　(LIF)　techniques　have　been　used　for　investigating　low-current　vacuum　arc　discharge　confined　to　axial　magnetic　fields　(AMFs).　The　effects　of　AMFs　and　arc　currents　on　the　axial　distribution　of　the　radiation　intensity　were　investigated　for　different　copper　ionization　states　(Cu　I　and　Cu　II).　The　highest　luminance　was　found　near　the　electrodes　for　both　excited　neutral　copper　atoms　and　ions,　and　only　weak　spectral　lines　of　excited　Ni　atoms　were　detected　in　the　near-anode　region.　With　increasing　the　external　AMF,　a　bright　＇spot＇　appeared　near　the　anode　surface.　In　the　visible　light　range,　excited　atoms　were　the　main　contributor　to　anode　flare　in　low-current　vacuum　discharge.　As　measured　by　LIF,　the　density　of　copper　atoms　near　the　anode　increased　from　10　×　1017　to　14　×　1017,　m-3　when　the　applied　magnetic　fields　increased　from　31　to　74　mT.　The　anode　flare　contains　far　more　excited　atoms　from　the　cathode　material　than　the　anode　material.　They　are　the　results　of　cathodic　plasma　expansion　to　reach　the　anode　after　charge　neutralization　and　reflection　on　the　anode　surface.　For　the　single　CS,　the　observed　fact　that　a　tiny　number　of　atoms　leave　the　anode　surface　and　participate　in　the　anode　flare　is　more　likely　the　result　of　a　sputtering　effect　rather　than　thermal　evaporation　by　cathode　electron　stream.　©　1973-2012　IEEE.