Energy properties of an EMI-Im ionic liquid ion source

The identity and the energy distributions of positive and negative ions electrostatically extracted from the liquid phase in an ionic liquid ion source (ILIS) are analysed with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer and a multi-grid retarding potential analyzer. Accurate energy measurements using ionic liquids in an externally wetted configuration are reported for the first time. Droplet-free beams are produced using the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(triflouromethylsulfonyl)amide (EMI-Im) in which the solvated ions (EMI-Im) n EMI + and (EMI-Im) n Im − with n = 0,1,2 are observed. The small ion source size and the energy distribution widths and deficits of a few electronvolts are quite similar to those of liquid metal ion sources, confirming that ILIS can be used in applications requiring highly focusable beams, e.g. sub-micron ion lithography. Measurements also suggest that solvated ions with n ⩾ 1 exhibit post-extraction fragmentation into lighter species at a rate increasing with their original degree of solvation. About 10% of the total beam current is carried away by metastable species that break up almost immediately after extraction while inside the emitter accelerating region.