The development of a new field emission source applying electrohydrodynamics of liquid metal

For liquid-Li coated W〈310〉 and W〈100〉 field emitters, the variations of electron emission patterns and electron emission currents with tip voltage were investigated by field emission microscopy, and they were compared with the result for a W〈110〉 tip, already reported. It was found that stable liquid-Li cones are formed on the {111} and {310} facets of the W tip. The characteristics of the total emission current against the tip voltage were similar to that for a W〈110〉 tip, and large total emission currents were obtained.