Plasma-cathode electron gun

Abstract

The plasma-cathode electron gun is a new type of electron source which is suitable for applications requiring a large area, high-energy electron beam. It employs a plasma generated within a cold low-voltage, hollow-cathode discharge as the source of electrons. Plasma cathode devices are characterized by their simplicity and versatility, and they offer a number of advantages over other designs. An electron gun producing a beam with dimensions of 5×125 cm has been developed for use with high-power cw gas lasers. This device has been operated at beam energies of 150 keV and cw beam current densities of 0.1–0.2 mA/cm2.