Chang Benkang

The optimal thickness of a transmission-mode GaN photocathode

A 150-nm-thick GaN photocathode with a Mg doping concentration of 1.6 × 1017 cm−3 is activated by Cs/O in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber, and a quantum efficiency (QE) curve of the negative electron affinity transmission-mode (t-mode) of the GaN photocathode is obtained. The maximum QE reaches 13.0% at 290 nm. According to the t-mode QE equation solved from the diffusion equation, the QE curve is fitted. From the fitting results, the electron escape probability is 0.32, the back-interface recombination velocity is 5 × 104 cms−1, and the electron diffusion length is 116 nm. Based on these parameters, the influence of GaN thickness on t-mode QE is simulated. The simulation shows that the optimal thickness of GaN is 90 nm, which is better than the 150-nm GaN.

Influence of wet chemical cleaning on quantum efficiency of GaN photocathode

GaN samples 1–3 are cleaned by a 2:2:1 solution of sulfuric acid (98%) to hydrogen peroxide (30%) to de-ionized water; hydrochloric acid (37%); or a 4:1 solution of sulfuric acid (98%) to hydrogen peroxide (30%). The samples are activated by Cs/O after the same annealing process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy after the different ways of wet chemical cleaning shows: sample 1 has the largest proportion of Ga, N, and O among the three samples, while its C content is the lowest. After activation the quantum efficiency curves show sample 1 has the best photocathode performance. We think the wet chemical cleaning method is a process which will mainly remove C contamination.

Equivalent Method of Solving Quantum Efficiency of Reflection-Mode Exponential Doping GaAs Photocathode

The mathematical expression of the electron diffusion and drift length LDE of exponential doping photocathode is deduced. In the quantum efficiency equation of the reffection-mode uniform doping cathode, substituting LDE for LD, the equivalent quantum efficiency equation of the reffection-mode exponential doping cathode is obtained. By using the equivalent equation, theoretical simulation and experimental analysis shows that the equivalent index formula and formula-doped cathode quantum efficiency results in line. The equivalent equation avoids complicated calculation, thereby simplifies the process of solving the quantum efficiency of exponential doping photocathode.

In-situ multi-information measurement system for preparing gallium nitride photocathode

We introduce the first domestic in-situ multi-information measurement system for a gallium nitride (GaN) photocathode. This system can successfully fulfill heat cleaning and activation for GaN in an ultrahigh vacuum environment and produce a GaN photocathode with a negative electron affinity (NEA) status. Information including the heat cleaning temperature, vacuum degree, photocurrent, electric current of cesium source, oxygen source, and the most important information about the spectral response, or equivalently, the quantum efficiency (QE) can be obtained during preparation. The preparation of a GaN photocathode with this system indicates that the optimal heating temperature in a vacuum is about 700 ?C. We also develop a method of quickly evaluating the atomically clean surface with the vacuum degree versus wavelength curve to prevent possible secondary contamination when the atomic level cleaning surface is tested with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The photocurrent shows a quick enhancement when the current ratio between the cesium source and oxygen source is 1.025. The spectral response of the GaN photocathode is flat in a wavelength range from 240 nm to 365 nm, and an abrupt decline is observed at 365 nm, which demonstrates that with the in-situ multi-information measurement system the NEA GaN photocathode can be successfully prepared.

Image fusion based on Complex Wavelets and region segmentation

This paper discusses about a fusion algorithm for infrared and visible light images based on region segmentation and the dual-tree complex wavelet transform. Before image segmentation, morphological top-hat filtering is firstly performed on the IR image and visual images respectively and the details of the luminous area are eliminated. Morphological bottom-hat filtering is then performed on the two kinds of images respectively and the details of the dark area are eliminated. Make the top-hat filtered image subtract the bottom-hat filtered image and obtain the enhanced images. Then the threshold method is used to segment the enhanced images. After image segmentation, the Dual-Tree Complex Wavelet Transform (DTCWT) coefficients from different regions are merged separately. Finally the fused image is obtained by performing inverse DTCWT. The evaluation results show the validity of the presented algorithm.

Modulation transfer function characteristic of uniform-doping transmission-mode GaAs/GaAlAs photocathode

The resolution characteristic can be obtained by the modulation transfer function (MTF) of a GaAs/GaAlAs photocathode. After establishing the theoretical model of GaAs(100)-oriented atomic configuration and the formula for the ionized impurity scattering of the non-equilibrium carriers, this paper calculates the trajectories of photoelectrons in a photocathode. Thus the distribution of photoelectron spots on the emit-face is obtained, which is namely the point spread function. The MTF is obtained by Fourier transfer of the line spread function obtained from the point spread function. The MTF obtained from these calculations is shown to depend heavily on the electron diffusion length, and enhanced considerably by decreasing the electron diffusion length and increasing the doping concentration. Furthermore, the resolution is enhanced considerably by increasing the active-layer thickness, especially at high spatial frequencies. The best spatial resolution is 860 lp/mm, for the GaAs photocathode of doping concentration 1 × 1019 cm−3, electron diffusion length 3.6 μm and the active-layer thickness 2 μm, under the 633-nm light irradiated. This research will contribute to the future improvement of the cathodes resolution for preparing a high performance GaAs photocathode, and improve the resolution of a low light level image intensifier.

Evolution of Photocurrent during Coadsorption of Cs and O on GaAs (100)

The photocurrent and spectral response characteristics of gallium arsenide (GaAs) are obtained by a multi-information measurement system, and the evolution of the photocurrent versus the Cs:O flux ratio is investigated. The experimental results show that the photocurrent increases approximately exponentially after the first exposure to Cs until a maximum sensitivity is reached, the detailed evolution process and the ultimate photocurrent are different for different samples. These differences are analysed, and according to the process of coadsorption of Cs and oxygen on GaAs, an equation is presented to explain the increase of photocurrent.

The High Quantum Efficiency of Exponential-Doping AlGaAs/GaAs Photocathodes Grown by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

An exponential-doping structure is successfully applied to the preparation of AlGaAs/GaAs photocathodes through the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique. The experimental results show that the quantum efficiency in the entire waveband region for the exponential-doping photocathodes grown by MOCVD is remarkably enhanced as compared to those grown by molecular beam epitaxy. As a result of the improved built-in electric fields and cathode performance parameters, the photoemission characteristics for the MOCVD-grown transmission-mode and reflection-mode AlGaAs/GaAs photocathodes are different over the wavelength region of interest.

Comparative study of adsorption characteristics of Cs on the GaN (0001) and GaN (0001̄) surfaces

The adsorption characteristics of Cs on GaN (0001) and GaN (000) surfaces with a coverage from 1/4 to 1 monolayer have been investigated using the density functional theory with a plane-wave ultrasoft pseudopotential method based on first-principles calculations. The results show that the most stable position of the Cs adatom on the GaN (0001) surface is at the N-bridge site for 1/4 monolayer coverage. As the coverage of Cs atoms at the N-bridge site is increased, the adsorption energy reduces. As the Cs atoms achieve saturation, the adsorption is no longer stable when the coverage is 3/4 monolayer. The work function achieves its minimum value when the Cs adatom coverage is 2/4 monolayer, and then rises with Cs atomic coverage. The most stable position of Cs adatoms on the GaN (000) surface is at H3 site for 1/4 monolayer coverage. As the Cs atomic coverage at H3 site is increased, the adsorption energy reduces, and the adsorption is still stable when the Cs adatom coverage is 1 monolayer. The work function reduces persistently, and does not rise with the increase of Cs coverage.

Theoretical Revision and Experimental Comparison of Quantum Yield for Transmission-Mode GaAlAs/GaAs Photocathodes

The quantum yield formula for uniform-doping GaAlAs/GaAs transmission-mode photocathodes is revised by taking into account the light absorption in the window layer. By using the revised quantum yield formula, the domestic and ITTs experimental quantum yield curves are fitted and the fitted curves match well with the experimental curves. In addition, the fit results show that the integral sensitivity and quantum yield of domestic image intensifier tube has achieved 2130μA/lm and 45%, nearly reaching ITTs third generation level in 2002, whereas the discrepancy in cathode performance is mainly embodied in the electron diffusion length and back interface recombination velocity.