Generation of a homogeneous plasma in a glow discharge with a hollow anodeand a wide-aperture hollow cathode

The principles for designing electrode systems for sources of ion beams of large cross section on the basis of a glow discharge are considered, and a system with combined magnetic and electrostatic confinement of the fast ele ctrons in a wide-aperture hollow cathode and the generation of an ion-emitt ing plasma in the anode cavity is proposed. It is shown that the system inv estigated generates a plasma with a nearly homogeneous distribution of the ion emission current density at low gas pressures and can be effectively us ed to obtain ion beams over a broad range of energies. (C) 1999 American In stitute of Physics. [S1063-7850(99)02906-7].