PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY OF ELECTROHYDRODYNAMIC ION EMITTERS IN THE USSR

A review of an investigation in the physics and technology of electrohydrodynamic (liquid metal) ion emitters, developed in the USSR, is presented. The EHD emission of high brightness ion beams from melted dielectric and EHD emission of negative ions are discussed. The dynamics of spontaneous and forced oscillation with a quasidiscrete spectrum in the frequency range of up to 10(8) Hz, transient processes in emission, emission stability at low and high current, and physical models for the emission surface size calculation has been studied. The evolution of the momentum distribution function is analyzed. Some examples of the utilization of the designed EHD sources for submicron ion beam production, for micromachining and microdiagnostics, and for high voltage accelerators are discussed too.