We describe here the design, main parameters, and characteristics of a forevacuum-pressure plasma-cathode electron source based on a hollow-cathode discharge. The source generates a continuous focused electron beam with energy up to 30 keV and current up to 300 mA at a pressure of 10–50 Pa. The focused electron beam reaches a maximum power density of 106 W/cm2. The source utility has been demonstrated by its application for processing and cutting of ceramic.

The electrophysical and structural properties of InAlAs/InGaAs/InAlAs quantum wells (QWs) with thin InAs inserts were investigated by means of Hall effect measurements and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The analyzed heterostructures are nearly the same ones using for high electron mobility transistors manufacturing except for heavily doped contact top layer. The increase of the electron mobility and concentration in the heterostructures with thin InAs layers in the center of the InGaAs QW as compared with the uniform QW was found and this effect strongly depended on the technological conditions during growth of the InAs inserts. The dependence of the InAs insert structural quality and heterointerface width on the As4 beam equivalent pressure PAs was revealed. The decreased PAs is required for obtaining uniform and smooth InAs inserts as opposed to higher PAs resulting in the interface spreading and lateral composition inhomogeneity of the InAs insert.