High brightness ion sources for laser-induced ionization of metal and metalloid ions

Gold and silicon ions emitted from high brightness liquid metal ion sources (LMIS) are used as ionic targets for strong field laser interaction with femtosecond laser beams. Field ionization processes in the field emission source at electrostatic fields of some 10 V/nm allow the generation of various metallic and metalloid ion beams with charge states such as Au2+ and Si2+. Studying the ionization in strong femtosecond laser fields with intensities of up to 1016 W/cm2, we observed for these elements charge states of up to Au11+ and Si4+.