The full name of IG tungsten filament is ion gun tungsten filament, it can also be named as ion source tungsten filament.

An ion source is a device that creates atomic and molecular ions. IG tungsten filament is used to form ions for mass spectrometers, optical emission spectrometers, particle accelerators, ion implanters and ion engines. The types of ion source can be divided into 7 categories which include RF ion source (radio frequency ion source), Arc Discharge ion source, PIG ion source, Double Plasma ion source, Double Peng source, Ionic Charge Transfer source, and Ionic Sputtering source.

The IG tungsten filament is made of tungsten wire, features high melting point and high corrosion resistance, mainly applied for vacuum metalizing, such as aluminizing scope, chrome scope, mirrors, plastics and heaters elements for decoration articles. The current source of IG tungsten filament is supplied by the three-phase 380V AC.

The IG tungsten filament is thermostability. It has a great flexibility and a long life. The application areas of IG tungsten filament include electrical optical film and film art, plastics, ceramics, glass crystals, coating a substrate, such as: the infrared film, broadband antireflection coatings, transparent conductive film interference filter cut-off polarizing film, a metal compound film, VCD beam splitter, various types of laser film.

Generally speaking, The EB（electron beam） tungsten filament consists of a cathode focusing electrode, and an anode. As a term of the electrochemical reaction, the cathode of EB tungsten filament refers to obtain electrons pole which can produce the reduction reactions. The cathode is an important part of the EB tungsten filament, which determines the ability of emitting and the life length of electron beam.

Nowadays, the most widely recognized of the form of the cathode is the directly heated cathode indirectly heated cathode, the latter can be divided into bombardment type and heating type. Bombardment-type offers hundreds or even thousands VA（volt-ampere） to the EB tungsten filament, when the cathode is heated to a certain temperature and then it will produce a large number of electrons. For heating type, when EB tungsten filament burned the cathode by electric current flowing. If the cathode reaches the temperature, then it can produce the electrons.

The temperature of EB tungsten filament has a strong influence on the intensity of the electron emission. Under the same emission intensity conditions, if the recovery percent of cathode material is small, then the temperature of the EB tungsten filament can be greatly reduce. It benefits to protect the EB tungsten filament. If users want to lengthen the life of the EB tungsten filament, people should choose cathode materials with a higher melting point and a smaller evaporation rate.