Electron emission characteristics of solidified gold alloy liquid metal ion sources

Solidified liquid metal ion sources LMISs.operating with Au alloy wetted hair-pin emitters can be used as high-intensity electron point sources for application in the field of ultrahigh vacuum techniques. A nanotip emitter on a solidified LMIS emitter can be formed by quenching during ion emission mode. I–V characteristics and the performance of the electron emitting LMIS are presented. q1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.