Abstract
For a liquid-lithium coated W<111> field emitter tip, the mechanism of stabilization of the liquid cone during electron emission was investigated by the use of a probe-hole type field emission microscope. A single liquid-lithium cone was formed on the optical axis using a (111)-remolded tip and the emission current from the single cone was measured. An oscilloscope trace of the emission current passing through a small probe hole indicated a stable direct current with a fluctuation of less than 0.1%. The probe current obeyed the Child-Langmuir law approximately, and therefore it is reasonable to consider that the liquid-lithium cone is stabilized by the space charge. The angular intensity reached about 30 mA/sr at a total emission current of 300 µA.
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