Advanced Vacuum Arc Plasma Source: Principles and Perspective Applications

A combined system including a MEVVA plasma source with a cylindrical electrostatic plasma-optical lens is considered for the first time. This combined system is of fundamental interest and could be attractive for a number of practical applications. The system can be used for effective repetitively pulsed, high current, moderate energy plasma sources of heavy metal ions and electrons. The hardware is interesting for high productivity technological equipment using dense pure plasma flow for the synthesis of fine coatings and thin films. We have studied the plasma-dynamic characteristics of high density plasma flow propagating through the plasma lens, the optical emission spectra and the charge state distribution, as a function of different experimental conditions. Application of the plasma lens to the transport of low energy high-current ion beams can improve the delivery of plasma to a substrate, as well as providing micro-droplet evaporation and elimination due to the presence of fast electrons within the lens region.