ion sources based on high-temperature cavity thermo-ionizers are commo
nly used to obtain ion beams of non-volatile elements with ionization
energy up to 6-7 eV. Such instruments have been in use in the Institut
e of Physics, M. Curie-Sklodowska University Lublin and a special vari
ant of the source has been the object of our experimental and theoreti
cal investigation. The preliminary results of this investigation, toge
ther with a limited review of the source characteristics are presented
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