Patent ID: 6765216
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: H05H

Abstract:
A method of producing an intensive flow of atoms from an input flow of a molecular gas with a source comprising a discharge cell connectable to a direct current source and defining at least one emitting aperture through which the flow is output from the cell, the method utilizing ignition of a gas discharge in said discharge cell and dissociation of the gas molecules by electron impact, and comprising:providing ignition of the gas discharge of a complex type composed of a main discharge and two auxiliary discharges of different types ignited in substantially coinciding zones of the discharge cell, wherein said main discharge is an arc Penning discharge ignited in a zone of the vicinity of said at least one emitting aperture, the first auxiliary discharge is a magnetron discharge with heated cathode, and the second auxiliary discharge is one of the following: a Penning discharge, and a Penning discharge with hollow cathode, the dissociation of the gas molecules being thereby carried out in said complex discharge and resulting in creation of the flow of hot and thermally atoms.