Mg and Cs2Te photocathodes in ELBE SRF-gun

For the accelerator-based light sources and the electron colliders, the development of photo injectors has become a key technology. Especially for the superconducing radio frequency cavity based injector (SRF Gun), the searching for better photocathodes is always a principal technical challenge. The “perfect” photocathodes require four important aspects: high efficiency, long life time, small transverse emittance and prompt time response.
To use Metallic photocathodes for ELBE SRF Gun is the primary choice to prevent the contamination of the SC cavity. In this contribution, we will report the investigation of magnesium (Mg) cathode in ELBE SRF gun, including the laser cleaning treatment and the measurement on quantum efficiency, Schottkey effect, dark current and damage threshold. From our experience, Mg cathode can reach high QE of 0.1% and produce up to 300 pC bunch charge in SRF gun, which is suitable for the applications with medium beam current.
However, semiconductor photocathodes in the SRF gun-I gave out very positive results. For high bunch charge and high current application, Cs2Te photocathode will be applied in the SRF gun-II soon in 2016.