Fabrication and characterization of cesium telluride photocathodes: A promising electron source for the Los Alamos Advanced FEL
The Advanced FEL at Los Alamos embodies a Y{sub 2}CsSb photocathode as an electron source. The photocathode consists of a K{sub 2}CsSb film deposited on a molybdenum plug that can be inserted into the linac of the FEL. However, because K{sub 2}CsSb is easily contaminated and has a half-life of less than a day when in use, switching to a more rugged high quantum efficiency (QE) material such as Cs{sub 2}Te is considered as a means to lengthen the beam time. Cs{sub 2}Te films were deposited on molybdenum plugs in an ultrahigh-vacuum research chamber. Several Cs{sub 2}Te films were measured in-situ for their spectral responses with a bias voltage of 90V; the resulting QEs were 12-18% at a wavelength of 254 nm, 0.2-1.2% at 334 nm, 10{sup {minus}4}-10{sup {minus}3} at 365 nm, and 10{sup {minus}7}-10{sup {minus}5} at 546 nm. For this cathode to be useful, the authors need to frequency quadruple the 1052 mn line of the Nd:YLF laser to achieve a wavelength of 263 mm. Initial studies showed that the 251-nm QE of Cs{sub 2}Te is much less sensitive to contamination than the 526-nm QE of K{sub 2}CsSb. The authors exposed Cs{sub 2}Te photocathodes to air at 10{sup {minus}4} torr for five minutes. As a result, the QEs dropped from 16-18% to 1-2% at 254 mn. However, heating the cathode to 165{degrees}C revived the QE to about 10%. They conclude that Cs{sub 2}Te is a very rugged photocathode material for use in an rf photoelectron source.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 10180006
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-94-2851; CONF-9408146-4; ON: DE94018303; TRN: 94:008361
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 16. international free electron laser conference,Stanford, CA (United States),21-26 Aug 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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