Cleaning of erosion plasma generated by a high-current non-self-maintained arc discharge from microdroplets

This paper presents the results of experiments on cleaning from microdroplets and neutral particles of the chromium plasma flux generated by the simultaneous action of electron beam and cathode spot of a non-self-maintained arc discharge onto the material under evaporation (AIS method: atom–ion sputtering). The AIS-method combines the undoubted merits of both of these: the high evaporation rate of the electron beam method and the high ionization degree inherent in the arc discharge, which is controlled within wide limits. The separator was a curvilinear single-layer solenoid. The value of the magnetic field that was usable for plasma beam focusing was several times less that in analogous devices being used for the separation of the plasma in cathodic arc systems. It is caused by low ion energy (∼6 eV) in this discharge type. The maximum current of chromium single-charged ions at the separator exit was ∼3 A, which corresponded to ∼50% of the maximum input current. The obtained data were the basis for designing the separation device for industry installation AIS-3. The data analysis shows that further development of separating systems using the AIS method will allow us to create powerful and effective ion sources for deposition of metallic, metalloidic and diamond-like coatings.