A source of broad homogeneous beams of low-energy (similar to 0.5 keV) gasions

A source of gas ions (argon, oxygen, nitrogen, etc.), the operating princip le of which is based on the use of a plow discharge in an electrode system of a wide-aperture hollow cathode and anode in a magnetic field, is describ ed. The exit aperture diameter of the hollow cathode, increased up to a siz e close to the ion beam diameter (10 cm), ensures the uniform ion emission of the plasma generated in the discharge region near the anode. A decreased angular divergence or increased ultimate ion-beam current density is achie ved by a change in the potential drop in the space charge sheath between th e plasma and the ion optics. The source generates broad (50 cm(2)) slightly diverging (omega/2 similar to 3 degrees-5 degrees) ion beams with energies of 300-1000 eV at a beam current density of similar to 0.5 mA/cm(2).