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An electron bombardment heated cathode structure is described which is capable of producing an electron emitting surface 5.7 cm in diameter at 2700 K, with ±5 K azimuthal temperature uniformity. The coaxial structure allows access along the axis, is assembled from modular components machinable on a lathe, and requires no water cooling internal to the vacuum system. The ``cathode'' is particularly suitable as an emitting end plate for a thermionic plasma (Q machine).
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Francis F. Chen (1969) studied this question.
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