The emission characteristics of an aluminum liquid metal ion source

Abstract
A study of the composition and energy distribution of a beam of ions obtained from an Al liquid metal ion source supports the field evaporation mechanism for ion formation at low currents. The beam composition varies as Al+≫Al++≳A+ 2≳ Al+ 3≳ Al+ 4≳ Al+ 5 and the energy spread ΔE varies as Al++<Al+≪Al+ 5< Al+ 4< Al+ 3 <Al+ 2. Both ΔE and the ratio of Al+n/ Al+ increase with total current. Because of the strong mass dependence of ΔE, Al+ exhibits an angular intensity twice as large as Ga+ for ΔE values between 5 and 10 eV.

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