The space-charge problem is investigated for liquid metal ion sources, using analytic methods and idealised geometries. For a given current, the space-charge reduction in the electric field at the ion-emitting apex of the liquid anode depends on the apex radius, r 0 , assumed. The smaller r 0 , the greater is the extent of this field reduction-although, even at the lowest observable currents of approximately 1 mu A, r 0 does not have to be particularly small for substantial reduction in the apex field to occur. However, the effects of space-charges are expected to diminish for ion sources of high flow impedance.
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G L R Mair (1982) studied this question.
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