Abstract
A strong electric field acting on the tip of a needle anode covered with a thin layer of liquid metal draws out a cusp from which a beam of positive ions is emitted. However, the rate of loss of ionic mass was found to be only a fraction of the total mass loss while the larger part consisted of microparticles of size less than 1 mu m with a low specific positive surface charge. The presence of a neutral component was proven by examining the particles that are adjuncts to the decaying ion beam. It transpired that the main beam constituents are accompanied by relatively few fast neutral atomic 'satellites' with energies spread over a very wide range.
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