Improved properties of the long arc generator (LARGE)

The characteristic feature of the extended linear DC-plasma source LARGE consists of an up to 300 mm long electrical arc, stabilized by water-cooled copper cascades and a magnetic barrier. The plasma gas is fed through a gas distributor perpendicular to the arc and leaves the source as a broad homogenous plasma sheet. While the two electrodes are shrouded with inert gas, nearly any gas mixture can be used as plasma gas, which opens a wide field of industrial applications like CVD or surface activation. Source construction improvements as well as material modifications, compared to the first laboratory prototype, are described.