Publikationsrepositorium - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Magnesium bulk cathodes and caesium telluride cathodes work routinely in SRF Gun II at ELBE. However, the particle accelerator community is always looking for new materials which can promise higher quantum efficiency, longer lifetime and good vacuum stability, fast response time and low thermal emittance.
P-type GaN on different substrate material is activated by a thin layer of caesium and illuminated at the same time by ultra-violet light. As a consequence of a negative electron affinity and photoeffect, the generated photoelectrons enter into vacuum and are collected by a copper ring anode. The resulting photocurrent is detected during the activation process and stopped when a maximum photocurrent is reached. Quantum efficiency can be calculated from the photocurrent and its decay is tracked in the following days after activation.
By a comparison of differences in substrate material, chemical pre-cleaning, thermal heat treatment and activation parameters (e.g. caesium-flux), the photocurrent, quantum efficiency and its decay is studied.