A universal pocket PIG ion source with a permanent magnet has been developed by our institute. Usually the source can produce single and multiple charged ions of gas or metal elements. At 20–30 kV extraction voltage, milliamperes of gas ions, and tens of &mgr;A of metal ions can be extracted with less than 50 W of discharge power consumption. And negative ions of some elements with larger electron affinity can be extracted directly from the source. Thus far, using LaB6as a cathode, more than 50 &mgr;A of H−, about 1.4 mA of O−, and 1.8 mA of F−ions in total beam have been extracted at 15–20 kV extraction voltage. The power consumptions are less than 40, 50, and 100 W, respectively. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.