The nature and time evolution of the rsquo;rsquo;surface flashoverrsquo;rsquo; anode plasma in a magnetically insulated ion diode is studied. Holographic interferometric and spectrographic measurements indicate a plasma with an electron density of 5times;1016cmminus;3and a temperature of approximately 5 eV which is created by electric breakdown along a surface parallel to the imposed pulsed electric field. The divergence of the ion beam accelerated from this plasma is governed by the spatial nonuniformities of the plasma. The beam is composed primarily of protons for the experiments studied. Contrary to previous expectations, a substantial C+4beam component was not observed.
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