Formation of intense convergent particle beams in a gas-discharge-plasma-emitter diode

Using a low-pressure arc with a shielded cathode spot, an emitter of electrons and gas ions has been developed. It provides an emission current density of electrons and gas ions of up to 1 A/cm² and 0.02 A/cm², respectively, and operates in the pulse-repetitive mode with a repetition rate of up to 50 s⁻¹ and a pulse duration of 1 is. Converging in a beam plasma-filled drift space the electron and ion beams with a current density compression factor of more than 10 are produced in a spherical diode with a large plasma emission area and a distance between the beam-forming multiaperture electrodes (12 mm) being much less than the electrode curvature radius (250 mm). The electron beam with energy of 20 keV and current of 40 A has the power density over 10⁵ W/cm² in the crossover, the beam energy density exceeding 75 J/cm² per pulse. The current density of 20-keV nitrogen ions is over 0.15 A/cm². The electron source designed for technological purposes, which offers a peak power of up to 1 MW over a bea. cross-section of several cm² and average power up to 20 kW in the pulse-repetitive mode has been developed on the basis of the above mentioned principles.