The invention relates to the technical field of preparation of films and coatings, particularly to a compact and efficient cold cathode arc source of a quasi diffusion arc. The cold cathode arc source is composed of an arc source head and a control magnetic field group, wherein the arc source head comprises a target, a target base, a target base shielding cover, a target base plate, an arc striking device and a permanent magnet device; the control magnetic field group comprises a flange sleeve, a flange sleeve insulating bush, a dipolar radial rotating magnetic filed generating device, an axial focusing guiding magnetic field generating device, a coaxial focusing magnetic field magnetic yoke and a flange sleeve shielding cover; and the arc source head is connected with the bottom of the flange sleeve through the target base plate to form a whole arc source structure, and connected with a finance through a flange arranged in front of the flange sleeve. Arc spots are distributed on the whole target surface under the comprehensive action of a certain magnetic field intensity and rotary frequency, the power density of the arc spots is reduced, the quasi diffusion arc state is achieved, launch of large grains is reduced, simultaneously, purified high-density plasmas are extracted through the axial focusing guiding magnetic field, and the transmission efficiency is improved.