Controlling current density distribution over large-area plasma emitter

A large-area plasma emitter is proposed, in which the current density distribution with respect to two coordinates, radius and polar angle, can be controlled. The control is effected by varying the currents of auxiliary and main discharges, the tilt angles of composite anode electrodes, and their potentials. The proposed emitter was tested in a commercial vacuum deposition setup and used for the final ion beam cleaning of substrates for thin-film microchips.