Novel modes of vacuum discharges in magnetic field as the base for effective ion generation

New properties of vacuum discharges in magnetic field with unconventional discharge gaps at low pressure up to high vacuum are briefly described. Both single- and multi-charge ion sources may be developed on basis of such new discharge modes. Such ion sources may have advantages in comparison with conventional ones. The main advantages are the long lifetime due to the absence of filaments and arc spots, high energy and gas efficiency due to high plasma electron temperature. The development of the discharge research and recent results are discussed.