ION SOURCE, OPERATION METHOD THEREOF AND ELECTRON GUN

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved ion source capable of creating a relatively uniform ion beam profile.SOLUTION: An ion source includes at least one electron gun 104. The electron gun 104 includes an electron source 302 generating a beam 308 of electrons and an inlet 312 receiving gas. The electron gun 104 also includes a plasma region defined by at least an anode 304 and a grounding element 306, and the plasma region is capable of generating plasma 310 from the gas received via the inlet 312. The plasma 310 is maintained by at least a portion of the beam 308 of electrons. The electron gun 104 further includes an outlet 312 for taking out at least either (i) ions created by the plasma 310 or (ii) at least a portion of the beam 308 of electrons created by the electron source 302.