High current density ion source

A high current density ion beam source comprises a vacuum system, which can provide a vacuum of the order of 10 -4 mbar enclosing the gas plasma source, and a cylindrical plasma chamber (36) made from an electrically non-conductive tube, the plasma chamber comprising means such as o-rings (35) for preventing gas leakage at the interface between plasma chamber and electrodes (34,37), an electrically conductive material to serve as the cathode electrode (37) in which the plasma and ion exit hole (22) is installed, an electrically conductive material to serve as the anode electrode (34), which has a hole (31) for gas inlet into the plasma chamber, a DC voltage source (38) to cause an avalanche multiplication within the plasma, and a device (42) to initiate plasma within the plasma chamber.