LIQUID-METAL ION SOURCE

摘要

The invention relates to a liquid-metal ion source comprising an electro-conductive housing (2) which is preferably made of metal and provided with a hollow space (4) for liquid or fusable metal (3), preferably indium, or a metal alloy. The hollow space (4) is connected to a capillary passage (5b) which extends through an emission body (5) protruding from the wall of a housing (2a). According to said invention, the capillary passage (5b) has a circular cross section whose diameter (rc) ranges from 1 to 100 µm, preferably from 3 to 10µm, at the level of the opening thereof (5a) in the emission body (5).