Windowless targets for intense beams

Earlier results have shown that a plasma window can effectively separate vacuum from a pressure of close to 3 atm. Present results indicate that a plasma window enhanced by a venturi facilitates a rather effective vacuum separation from a 9 atm gas target. Utilization of the plasma arc as the window for gas targets removes all of the limitations on beam current, energy, and energy focusing imposed by solid windows. Various applications and the new results are discussed.