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High power conditioning and benchmarking of planar nitrogen-incorporated ultrananocrystalline diamond field emission electron source

Journal Article · · Physical Review Accelerators and Beams

Planar nitrogen-incorporated ultrananocrystalline diamond [(N)UNCD] has emerged as a unique field emission source attractive for accelerator applications because of its capability to generate a high charge beam and handle moderate vacuum conditions. Most importantly, (N)UNCD sources are simple to produce: Conventional high aspect ratio isolated emitters are not required to be formed on the surface, and the actual emitter surface roughness is on the order of only 10–100 nm. A careful reliability assessment of (N)UNCD is required before it may find routine application in accelerator systems. In the present study using an L-band normal conducting single-cell rf gun, a (N)UNCD cathode has been conditioned to ~ 42 MV / m in a well-controlled manner. It reached a maximum output charge of 15 nC corresponding to an average current of 6 mA during an emission period of 2.5 $$μ$$s . Imaging of the emission current revealed a large number of isolated emitters (density over 100/cm2 ) distributed on the cathode, which is consistent with previous tests in dc environments. The performance metrics, the emission imaging, and the systematic study of emission properties during rf conditioning in a wide gradient range assert (N)UNCD as an enabling electron source for rf injector designs serving industrial and scientific applications. These studies also improve the fundamental knowledge of the practical conditioning procedure via a better understanding of the emission mechanisms.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP) (SC-25)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357; SC0018362; SC0015479; SC0015479
OSTI ID:
1579295
Journal Information:
Physical Review Accelerators and Beams, Journal Name: Physical Review Accelerators and Beams Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 22; ISSN 2469-9888; ISSN PRABCJ
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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