A Source of Accelerated Metal Plasma Flow with Controllable Parameters

Abstract

Parameters of the metal plasma flow generated by a source with heated liquid anode have been studied during motion in axial magnetic field. It is established that the source operating on liquid copper as the working body creates a plasma flow with an ionization of degree about 8% and concentration reaching 4 × 10¹⁶ m^–3 near the source output. The directed energy and width of the energy spectrum of ion flow can be varied in broad intervals by controlling the voltage applied to electrodes.