Ion source, ion gun, and analysis instrument

摘要

Provided are an ion source, an ion gun, and an analysis instrument, which are capable of performing sputtering without damage to a surface of a sample and improving detection sensitivity in mass spectroscopy. In the ion source, an emission opening to which ionization liquid is supplied is disposed in an electric field formed in vacuum environment by an extracting electrode so that super large droplet cluster ions are generated from the emission opening. When the sample is irradiated with a super large droplet cluster ion beam, the sample surface is subjected to sputtering without damage, so as to remove contamination substances or to expose a new surface of the sample. In mass spectroscopy, detection sensitivity is improved.

主权项

1. An ion source, comprising:
a vacuum chamber; an emission tube inserted in the vacuum chamber in a hermetic manner, the emission tube having conductivity in at least a surface thereof; an ionization liquid supply device disposed outside the vacuum chamber so as to supply ionization liquid to a thin tube disposed in the emission tube, at a part positioned outside the vacuum chamber; an extracting electrode configured to extract ions in the ionization liquid supplied from the ionization liquid supply device to the emission tube, as cluster ions from an emission opening of the thin tube positioned inside the vacuum chamber and to cause the cluster ions to travel in vacuum environment, the cluster ions being generated when surface tension of the ionization liquid at the emission opening of the thin tube is unable to suppress the Coulomb repulsion force of the ions of the same charge; and a laser beam emitting device configured to irradiate the emission opening with a laser beam.