Spreading of impulse plasma within a coaxial accelerator

Abstract

The paper discusses the mechanism of the generation and spreading of an impulse plasma in a coaxial plasma accelerator. An accelerator of this type utilizes the electrodynamic mechanism of ion acceleration. The existing descriptions of the plasma spreading in a coaxial accelerator are based on the “snow plough” model. This model is not suitable for describing the behaviour of impulse plasma during the impulse plasma deposition synthesis of materials. The present author has found that, in this process, because of the quasi-stationary mode of generation, the impulse plasma soon loses its radial symmetry when spreading within the accelerator. This is an adverse effect. It has been found that it can be reduced by using an external electrode made of a ferromagnetic material.