The performance and characteristics of a cathodic arc plasma source,consisting of a titanium cathode, an anode with and without a tungstenmesh, and a coil producing a focusing magnetic field between the anodeand cathode, are investigated. The high transparency and large area ofthe mesh allow a high plasma flux to penetrate the anode from thecathodic arc. The mesh helps to decrease the arc resistance and theignition voltage of the cathodic arc in the focusing magnetic field, and toincrease the life of the source, which means that the source makesthe cathodic arc easily and greatly stabilized during the operation whena focusing magnetic field exists in the source.