A long-pulse 300 keV electron gun with a plasma cathode for high-pressure gas lasers

The design and main features of a plasma cathode electron gun for high-pressure gas lasers are discussed. The mesh plasma cathode in combination with a low-pressure gas discharge was used for the formation of a large cross-section (55X4 cm(2)) electron beam with emission current densities up to 1.7 A/cm(2), accelerating voltages up to 300 kV, and a pulse length of 20 mu s (full width at half maximum). (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.