Experimental investigation of the ion current distribution in microsecond plasma opening switch

This paper is devoted to the investigations of the microsecond plasma opening switch properties (MPOS) as an ion beam source for surface modification. Two plasma sources have been investigated: flashboard and cable guns. The detailed measurements of axial and azimuthal distributions of ion current density in the switch have been performed. It was shown that the azimuthal unhomogeneity of the ion beam increases from the beginning to the end of MPOS. The advantages and problems of this approach are considered.