High brightness hollow cathode electron beam source

An optically initiated hollow cathode electron source has been demonstrated to produce high brightness electron beams in a low pressure background gas. Three phases of beam production have been identified, first a 1A, 20nsec, 45keV, 10¹⁰A/m² rad² initial beam, second a 70A, 100nsec, 20keV, 10¹¹A/m² rad² hollow cathode produced beam and third a 100A, steady state, 500eV superemissive cathode produced beam. An experimental characterization of the three beams is presented.