PBPL Publications: 2009-00027 PUBLICATION ELECTRON EMISSION CHARACTERIZATION OF MG PHOTOCATHODE GROWN BY PULSED LASER DEPOSITION WITHIN AN S-BAND RF GUN

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has been proposed several years ago as a suitable technique to deposit a pure Mg film over a radio frequency (rf ) gun Cu backflange in order to obtain a high efficiency photocathode surface for the generation of high brightness electron beams. In this paper we report preliminary experimental results on the emission properties of a PLD grown Mg film within the high electric field gradients of a rf gun showing the effects of the rf conditioning process on the cathode surface. Even though a laser cleaning process should be performed on the sample surface in order to remove contaminated layers, the results presented here are very promising for the realization of a final Mg-based photocathode. Electron emission characterization of Mg photocathode grown by pulsed laser deposition within an S-band rf gun L. Cultrera, G. Gatti, P. Miglietta, F. Tazzioli, A. Perrone, J. T. Moody, and P. Musumeci National Institute of Nuclear Physics, National Laboratories of Frascati, Via E. Fermi 40, Frascati, Italy National Institute of Nuclear Physics and Physics Department, University of Salento, Via per Arnesano, Lecce, Italy UCLA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA (Received 13 October 2008; published 30 April 2009) Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has been proposed several years ago as a suitable technique to deposit a pure Mg film over a radio frequency (rf) gun Cu backflange in order to obtain a high efficiency photocathode surface for the generation of high brightness electron beams. In this paper we report preliminary experimental results on the emission properties of a PLD grown Mg film within the high electric field gradients of a rf gun showing the effects of the rf conditioning process on the cathode surface. Even though a laser cleaning process should be performed on the sample surface in order to remove contaminated layers, the results presented here are very promising for the realization of a final Mg-based