A moveable ion source is provided in apparatus for ion implantation to enable ions to be directed from different directions onto bulky target objects. The ion source may be connected on the outside of a vacuum chamber or on a mobile arm within it. The ion source is supplied with both gas and electricity via a single cable. The supply cable has a multi-layered structure with gas flow being supported through a relatively thin inner tube which also carries the h.t. transmission and return conductors. A relatively thick tube is provided around the inner tube to insulate the transmission and return conductors from an earth conductor and to provide mechanical strength. A special coupling is used to interconnect the supply cable with the ion source housing.

An electron bombardment ion source of the Freeman type incorporates an electrode having multiple segments which are electrically connected in parallel to provide increased surface area for constant cross section.

An ion source comprises a cylindrical chamber having a longitudinal exit slit formed therein and two parallel anode wires extending the length of the chamber in the central region thereof and symmetrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the chamber and the exit slit, wherein at each end of the exit slit there is positioned at or near the zero potential equipotential a mask, the separation of the inner ends of the masks defining the width of the ion beam emitted by the source.

An ion source having an extremely high beam current density at low gas flow rates and therefore, low system pressures. The ion source includes an electrode system which consists of a cathode of, for example, spherical or cylindrical configuration which cathode encloses an anode having a pair of screen electrodes symmetrically disposed about and parallel to the plane of the anode, the anode and screen electrodes each having apertures formed therein. A gas inlet is formed in the cathode wall, preferably between the screen electrodes, and an ion beam outlet aperture of substantially the same size as the anode aperture is provided in the cathode. Upon application of suitable potentials to the anode, cathode and screen electrodes, the latter preferably being at a potential substantially equal to cathode potential, gas introduced through the gas supply inlet is ionised and the positive ions created are accelerated towards the cathode and emerge in a beam through the ion beam outlet aperture.

An Arc Chamber Assembly for use in an Ionization Source for dissociating to a desired ion form an element or compound of a material and ionizing such element or compound to provide a beam of charged particles. The chamber is enclosed within a structure having separate sides and ends and top and bottom and having a filament extending through the chamber, the filament having two end sections, each located along the same longitudinal axis with a central section offset from the end sections, but having a longitudinal axis parallel to the end sections, the filament further having two loops of essentially 180 degrees each separating the central section from the two end sections.