Race Track Formation in a Magnetically Enhanced Hollow Cathode Electron Source

Immersing a hollow cathode into a magnetic field enhances trapping of fast cathode electrons and ionization, providing ~30% decrease in the discharge voltage for a given current. The nonuniform magnetic field in our electron source causes an intricate visual phenomenon-formation of bright plasma cords (race tracks) near two opposite walls, in a region, where the field component parallel to the walls is the strongest.