Change of the surface potential barrier of GaAs photocathode during two-step activation

Abstract

High and low temperature activation experiments were carried out for a transmission-mode GaAs photocathode sample, and the activation photocurrent curves were recorded. The variety of the activation photocurrent curves between high and low temperatures was studied. By using fitting calculation, the surface potential barrier parameters of NEA photocathode after high and low temperature activations were obtained, respectively, and the change of the surface potential barriers between high and low -temperature activations is indicated. Besides, The NEA cathode surface after high-temperature activation and low temperature activation were analyzed respectively by using angle-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Above investigation results indicate that, with contrast to high-temperature activation, the thickness of surface potential barriers after low-temperature activation become thin and the vacuum level is reduced further. As a result, the cathode spectral sensitivity is improved remarkably.