An ion source includes an external housing, an electrically conductive tip, a gas supply system, configured to supply an operating gas into the neighborhood of the tip, and a cooling system configured to cool the tip. The gas supply system includes a first tube with a hollow interior, and a chemical getter material is provided in the hollow interior of the tube.

A collision ionization source is disclosed herein. An example source includes an ionization region arranged to receive a gas and a charged particle beam, the charged particle beam to ionize at least some of the gas, and a supply duct arranged to provide the gas to the ionization region, the supply duct having a non-uniform height decreasing from an input orifice to an output orifice, the output orifice arranged adjacent to the ionization region.

A collision ionization source is disclosed herein. An example source includes an ionization region arranged to receive a gas and a charged particle beam, the charged particle beam to ionize at least some of the gas, and a supply duct arranged to provide the gas to the ionization region, the supply duct having a non-uniform height decreasing from an input orifice to an output orifice, the output orifice arranged adjacent to the ionization region.

The invention relates to a novel ion source, which uses method for the production of highly charged ions in the local ion traps created by an axially symmetric electron beam in the thick magnetic lens. The highly charged ions are produced in the separate local ion traps, which are created as a sequence of the focuses (F.sub.1, F.sub.2, and F.sub.3) of the electron beam (EB) rippled in the magnetic field (B(z)). Since the most acute focus is called the main one, the ion source is classified as main magnetic focus ion source (MaMFIS/T), which can also operate in the trapping regime. The electron current density in the local ion traps can be much greater than that in the case of Brillouin flow. For the ion trap with length of about 1 mm, the average electron current density of up to the order of 100 kA/cm.sup.2 can be achieved. Thus it allows one to produce ions in any charge state for all elements of the Periodic Table. In order to extract the ions, geometry of the electron beam is changed to a relatively smooth electron beam by setting the potential of the focusing electrode (W) of the electron gun negative with respect to the potential of the cathode (C).

An ion source having improved life is disclosed. In certain embodiments, the ion source is an IHC ion source comprising a chamber, having a plurality of electrically conductive walls, having a cathode which is electrically connected to the walls of the ion source. Electrodes are disposed on one or more walls of the ion source. A bias voltage is applied to at least one of the electrodes, relative to the walls of the chamber. In certain embodiments, fewer positive ions are attracted to the cathode, reducing the amount of sputtering experienced by the cathode. Advantageously, the life of the cathode is improved using this technique. In another embodiment, the ion source comprises a Bernas ion source comprising a chamber having a filament with one lead of the filament connected to the walls of the ion source.

A system that utilizes a component that controls thermal gradients and the flow of thermal energy by variation in density is disclosed. Methods of fabricating the component are also disclosed. The component is manufactured using additive manufacturing. In this way, the density of different regions of the component can be customized as desired. For example, a lattice pattern may be created in the interior of a region of the component to reduce the amount of material used. This reduces weight and also decreases the thermal conduction of that region. By using low density regions and high density regions, the flow of thermal energy can be controlled to accommodate the design constraints.

An ion source having improved life is disclosed. In certain embodiments, the ion source is an IHC ion source comprising a chamber, having a plurality of electrically conductive walls, having a cathode which is electrically connected to the walls of the ion source. Electrodes are disposed on one or more walls of the ion source. A bias voltage is applied to at least one of the electrodes, relative to the walls of the chamber. In certain embodiments, fewer positive ions are attracted to the cathode, reducing the amount of sputtering experienced by the cathode. Advantageously, the life of the cathode is improved using this technique. In another embodiment, the ion source comprises a Bernas ion source comprising a chamber having a filament with one lead of the filament connected to the walls of the ion source.

A device 1 for generating a controlled ionic flow I is described. The device 1 is portable and comprises an ionization chamber 6, at least one inlet member 2 and at least one ion outlet member 3. The ionization chamber 6 is suitable to be kept at a vacuum pressure, and configured to ionize gaseous particles contained therein. The at least one inlet member 2 is configured to inhibit or allow and/or adjust an inlet in the ionization chamber of a gaseous flow Fi of said gaseous particles. In addition, the at least one inlet member 2 comprises a gaseous flow adjusting interface 22, having a plurality of nano-holes 20, of sub-micrometric dimensions, suitable to be opened or closed, in a controlled manner, to inhibit or allow a respective plurality of gas micro-flows through the at least one inlet member 2.

The present invention discloses a positive and negative ion source based on radio-frequency inductively coupled discharge, comprising a tube, a middle portion of which is communicated with an intake pipe; discharge coils electrically connected to a matched network and a radio-frequency power supply successively are wound on the tube; one end of the tube is connected to a first cover plate in a sealed manner, and the first cover plate is connected with a positive ion extraction gate via an insulating medium; the positive ion extraction gate is electrically connected to a negative pole of a DC power supply; the other end of the tube is connected to a second cover plate in a sealed manner, the second cover plate is connected to a third cover plate in a sealed manner via a sidewall, and the third cover plate is connected with a negative ion extraction gate via an insulating medium; and the negative ion extraction gate is electrically connected to a positive pole of the DC power supply. In the present invention, the positive ions and the electrons and negative ions can be extracted simultaneously, and the problems of contamination of the ion source by particles sputtered from the backplane and overheating of the backplane are thus solved.

The present invention discloses a positive and negative ion source based on radio-frequency inductively coupled discharge, comprising a tube, a middle portion of which is communicated with an intake pipe; discharge coils electrically connected to a matched network and a radio-frequency power supply successively are wound on the tube; one end of the tube is connected to a first cover plate in a sealed manner, and the first cover plate is connected with a positive ion extraction gate via an insulating medium; the positive ion extraction gate is electrically connected to a negative pole of a DC power supply; the other end of the tube is connected to a second cover plate in a sealed manner, the second cover plate is connected to a third cover plate in a sealed manner via a sidewall, and the third cover plate is connected with a negative ion extraction gate via an insulating medium; and the negative ion extraction gate is electrically connected to a positive pole of the DC power supply. In the present invention, the positive ions and the electrons and negative ions can be extracted simultaneously, and the problems of contamination of the ion source by particles sputtered from the backplane and overheating of the backplane are thus solved.