Patent ID: 7932678

Claim:
A plasma source apparatus comprising: a substrate having a first surface and an opposing surface; a second surface, said second surface being spaced apart from said first surface by a predetermined gap, connected to a power supply as a cathode; a third surface connected to the power supply as an anode; a magnetic field source comprising a permanent magnetic oriented with a north pole proximal to said substrate relative to a south pole and providing a magnetic field axial with said magnetic field source, said magnetic field passing into both said first and second surfaces and through said gap, said magnetic field having a portion passing through said substrate that is at least two times stronger at said first surface than at said second surface, said magnetic field portion having a strength strong enough to magnetize electrons; and an electric field extending to said second surface and said electric field penetrating into an electron confining region of said magnetic field to confine the electrons electrostatically and with mirror magnetic confinement.