Nanotubes stretched in liquid-metal-ion-sources and their influence on isotopic anomalies
Résumé
The present paper argues that an intense electric field (few V) provides an alternative method to stretch matter and to form nanotubes locally. The very high electric field is supplied by a liquid-metal-ion-source (LMIS). Intriguing aspects are displayed by the LMIS mass spectra of some pure elements. The periodicity of pure Ge or Sn LMIS, i.e., series of equidistant peaks such Ge6n+1 3+ with n=3-8 or Ge6n+4 3+ with n=7-14 or the formation of unexplained Au8 3+ and Au16 3+ ions for the pure Au LMIS, is attributed to the existence of Ge, Sn, or Au nanotubes in operating LMIS. LMIS results on a eutectic Au0.73 Ge0.27 alloy show the formation of a gold nanotube associated with the strong Au8 3+ emission. The Ge2 + emitted near the gold nanotube interacts with a larger electric field than in the pure Ge LMIS provoking a bond break in heteroisotope dimers and therefore isotope anomalies in dimer emission.