Plasma sources based on a low-pressure arc discharge

This article presents two types of a hollow-cathode plasma Source based on an arc discharge where the electrons emitted either by a hot filament or by a surface-discharge-based trigger system initiate a gas arc discharge. The sources produce gas plasmas of densities 10(10)-10(12) cm-3 in large volumes of up to 0.5 at a discharge current of 100-200 A and at a pressure of 10(-1)-10(-2) Pa. Consideration is given to some peculiarities of the operation of the plasma sources with various working gases (Ar. N-2. O-2). The erosion rate of the cold hollow cathode in the designed plasma sources is shown to be 10 times lower than that found in an ordinary one. The sources are employed for plasma-assisted surface modification of solids.