Evaluation of a Neon Focused Field Ion Source: Fabrication and Characteristics

A new type of gaseous field ion source, operated with the inert gas neon, was developed. The source material used was the equiatomic B
₂
-ordered Ni-Al alloy doped with small amounts of W and C. Small surface protrusions were formed by the field evaporation of the multiphase alloy containing ultrafine spherical precipitates. The emission current-voltage characteristics were recorded as a function of neon gas pressure and source temperature. Total source current densities of up to 6 nA were obtained. A source temperature just above the condensation point of Ne gas was found to generate the highest ion current