An ion generation apparatus according to the present invention includes an electron emission device, an opposite electrode, and a controller, the electron emission device includes a lower electrode, a surface electrode, and an intermediate layer provided between the lower electrode and the surface electrode, the opposite electrode is provided to be opposite to the surface electrode, and the controller is provided to apply a voltage to the surface electrode, the lower electrode, or the opposite electrode such that a potential of the surface electrode becomes higher than a potential of the lower electrode and a potential of the opposite electrode in a positive ion mode.

An ion generator includes an arc chamber which has a plasma generating region therein, a cathode configured to emit a thermoelectron toward the plasma generating region, a repeller which faces the cathode in an axial direction in a state where the plasma generating region is interposed between the cathode and the repeller, and a cage which is disposed to partially surround the plasma generating region at a position between an inner surface of the arc chamber and the plasma generating region.

Metallic ion source for resolving the issue of not being able to produce high-density ions efficiently with small-scale ion sources in situations where an electron beam injecting scheme is employed as the evaporation source to evaporate a solid, and for producing high-density ions highly efficiently. Designed to be compact and lightweight, the metallic ion source also facilitates selection of the ion extraction direction. The ion source, structured exploiting the characteristic physical property that whether ionization takes place is dependent on the energy of the electron beam, is furnished with a dual evaporation-plasma chamber that inside the same chamber enables a high-speed electron beam, whose ionization efficiency is low, and low-speed electrons generated by electric discharge, whose ionization efficiency is high, to participate independently and simultaneously in, respectively, evaporation of precursor and ionization action.

An ion source comprising a chamber and an electron collector is described. In one configuration, the chamber comprises a sample inlet and an ion outlet. The chamber may also include an electron inlet configured to receive electrons from an electron source. The electron collector can be arranged in opposition to the electron inlet. The chamber can be configured to direct an electron beam from the electron source along a path with the chamber transverse to a path between the gas inlet and the ion outlet. The chamber may comprise an ion guide that includes a guide axis offset from an axis of the ion outlet.

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.

An ion source that is capable of different modes of operation is disclosed. A solid target may be disposed in the arc chamber. The ion source may have several gas inlets, in communication with different gasses. When operating in a first mode, the ion source may supply a first gas, such as a halogen containing gas. When operating in a second mode, the ion source may supply an organoaluminium gas. Ions having single charges may be created in the first mode, while ions having multiple charges may be created in the second mode. In some embodiments, the solid target may be retractable.