title: A new approach to gas field ion sources.
abstract: A new approach to gas field ion sources is described. It is based on a structure made by inserting a field emission tip inside a small diameter tube. The tube supplies gas to the tip from a high-pressure chamber into a high-vacuum chamber where ionization takes place. Comparison of projection electron and ion micrographs shows that ionization results from a field ionization process taking place at the very end of the tip. Emission currents in the 10nA range, for a few kV emission voltages, are obtained with various gases including neon, air and hydrogen. Lifetime experiments with H(2) show stable emission for days.
authors.affiliation: CRMC2-CNRS, Campus de Luminy-Case 913, Cedex 9 13288, Marseille, France. salacon@crmc2.univ-mrs.fr
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salançon
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hammadi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morin