ON THE ROLE OF SECONDARY ELECTRONS IN LIQUID-METAL ION SOURCES

In the context of liquid metal ion source operation, a recent paper su ggested that secondary electrons released by ion-collecting surfaces m ight play a fundamental role in source behaviour, by causing emitter h eating. The present note looks again at the role of secondary electron s. It confirms the long-established view that in all normal circumstan ces, the associated heating effects are not sufficient to modify ion s ource operating characteristics.