The invention relates to a vacuum arc source and to a method for operating the same, said source comprising a target with a surface for operating an arc discharge. The target is arranged in the range of influence of a device for generating a magnetic field, said device comprising at least two magnetic systems of opposite polarity and being embodied in such a way that the component B⊥ which is perpendicular to the surface and pertains to the resulting magnetic field has essentially constantly low values over a large part of the surface or has a value equal to zero.