Plasma electron source for the generation of wide-aperture pulsed beam at forevacuum pressures

This article reports on design and application of wide-aperture pulsed beam source, based on hollow cathode discharge. The source is intended for electron beam generation in pressure range 2–15 Pa. Multi-aperture extraction system, used in a source, provided beam cross-section uniformity of 10% on diameter 40 mm. The limiting values of the current density, pulse duration, and accelerating voltage are 350 mA/cm2, 250 μs, and 10 kV, respectively. These parameters are sufficient for surface modification of various materials, including non-conducting matters.