Generation of uniform electron beam plasma in a dielectric flask at fore-vacuum pressures

Abstract

We describe a system for the generation of spatially uniform and homogeneous dense plasma in a dielectric flask using a forevacuum-pressure plasma-cathode electron beam source. At optimum beam energy and gas pressure, the non-uniformity in plasma density distribution along the length of the flask is less than 10%, and the plasma density and electron temperature in the flask are greater than for the plasma produced in the vacuum chamber with no flask. The measured parameters of the beam plasma in the flask are compared to the predictions of a model based on balance equations.