Editing Ion source (section)

{{About|ionization devices|the physical processes|Ionization}}
{{Use American English|date = February 2019}}
{{Short description|Device that creates charged atoms and molecules (ions)}}
[[File:Mass spectrometer ei ci ion source.jpg|thumb|300px|Mass spectrometer EI/CI ion source]]

An '''ion source''' is a device that creates atomic and molecular [[ion]]s.<ref name="Wolf1995">{{cite book|author=Bernhard Wolf|title=Handbook of Ion Sources|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qoQHMSBNFsAC|date=31 August 1995|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-0-8493-2502-1}}</ref> Ion sources are used to form ions for [[Mass spectrometry|mass spectrometers]], [[optical emission spectrometer]]s, [[particle accelerator]]s, [[Ion implantation|ion implanters]] and [[Ion thruster|ion engines]].