Two-Cathode Filtered Vacuum-Arc Plasma Source

The design and operation principle of the new two-cathode filtered vacuum-arc plasma source are discussed. The results of probe measurements of ion components of the output plasma stream depending on magnetic field magnitude and geometry in plasma-guiding channels of the source are presented. The system effectiveness ratio of the device makes up to ~2.5%. The possibility of control of the ion current density distribution diagram is shown. The nonuniformity of component concentration distribution of the coating at the use of the cathodes from aluminum and titanium is about plusmn 6.5%.