Guanghui Hao

Photoemission characteristics of (Cs, O) activation exponential-doping Ga0.37Al0.63As photocathodes

Based on the studies of the GaAs photocathode, the surface model of the Ga0.37Al0.63As photocathode is investigated and the energy distributions of electrons reaching the surface charge region, reaching the surface and emitting into vacuum are calculated. The (Cs, O) adsorption and photoemission characteristics of the Ga0.37Al0.63As photocathode are studied according to the experiments. We use the quantum efficiency formula to fit the experimental curve, and obtain the performance parameters of the photocathode and the surface barrier parameters. The results show that the surface barrier of the Ga0.37Al0.63As photocathode is similar to that of the GaAs photocathode. The prepared reflection-mode Ga0.37Al0.63As photocathode responds to the blue-green light, while the transmission-mode Ga0.37Al0.63As photocathode is sensitive to the 532 nm light.

Influence of Al fraction on photoemission performance of AlGaN photocathode

To research the photoemission performance of a transmission-mode Al(1-x)Ga(x)N photocathode, Al0.24Ga0.76N and GaN photocathodes with the same structure were activated, their spectral responses were measured using a multi-information measurement system at room temperature, and the photocathode parameters were obtained by fitting quantum efficiency curves. The results showed that both the reflective-mode and transmission-mode spectral responses of the AlGaN photocathode were lower than those of the GaN photocathode. Compared with the GaN photocathode, the short-wavelength spectral response of the Al0.24Ga0.76N photocathode was less seriously affected by lattice defects between the buffer and emission layers. The Al atom at the AlGaN photocathode surface could affect the optimal Cs adsorption position, which mainly affects the surface electron escape probability of the photocathode.

Attenuation performance of reflection-mode AlGaN photocathode under different preparation methods

To research the attenuation performance of the AlGaN photocathode, three samples with the same structures grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition were activated with three different activation methods, which are called Cs-only, Cs-O, and Cs-O-Cs activation, respectively. The spectral responses and attenuated photocurrents of the three AlGaN photocathodes were measured. The results show that the Cs-O activated AlGaN photocathode exhibits the lowest attenuation speed in the first few hours, and the attenuation speed of the Cs-only activated one is fastest. After attenuating for 90 min, the attenuation photocurrent curve of the Cs-O-Cs activated sample is coincident with that of the Cs-O activated one. The main factor affecting the photocurrent attenuation is related to Cs atoms desorbed from the photocathode surface.

Effect of Cs adsorption on the photoemission performance of GaAlAs photocathode

The effect of Cs adsorption on the photoemission performance of a reflection-mode GaAlAs photocathode in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber has been investigated. The experiments for Cs/O activation, multiple recaesiation, and degradation are performed on a GaAlAs photocathode. Meanwhile, the Cs/O activated and recaesiated photocurrent curves, degraded photocurrent curves, and spectral response curves are measured and analyzed. Besides, the performance parameters of the photocathodes are obtained by using the formula to fit with the experimental quantum efficiency curves. The results show that the Cs atoms not only make the atomically clean surface form the negative electron affinity, but also make the degraded photocathode recover to a good level. The quantum efficiency and the lifetime of GaAlAs photocathode become lower with increasing the recaesiation times.

Blue-green reflection-mode GaAlAs photocathodes

In order to obtain the suitable photocathode which could be applicable for the field of ocean exploration, the p-type zinc (Zn)-doped reflection-mode GaAlAs photocathode sample using exponential-doping technique is grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition, the Al component of GaAlAs emission layer is designed to be 0.63. After the chemical etching, the photocathode samples are heated in vacuum at high-temperature of 650°C and 600°C respectively, the vacuum variation curves during the heat cleaning are measured, which correspond to the desorption of oxides in the surface of GaAlAs emission layer. The (Cs, O) activation for the photocathodes is executed after heat cleaning. Different proportion of Cs and O is performed on the different photocathode samples. The activation photocurrent curves of two samples with different heat cleaning temperature show that the GaAlAs surface treated by higher heat cleaning temperature is more sensitive to the Cs-O adsorption. The photocathode activated with the larger Cs current has a shorter time to reach the first photocurrent peak, and also obtains a bigger final photocurrent peak. According to the measured spectral response curves, it could be found that a suitable heat cleaning temperature and a moderate Cs/O current ratio are very important to prepare high performance GaAlAs photocathode. The prepared reflection-mode GaAlAs photocathodes are response to the blue-green light, and the cut-off wavelength is at about 580 nm.

Photoemission performance of thin graded structure AlGaN photocathode.

In order to research a high-efficiency AlGaN photocathode, the AlGaN photocathodes with varied Al composition (0.68 and 0.4) and uniform Al composition (0.24) were grown. The photocathodes were activated by Cs adsorption and received their spectral response via multi-information system. Results show that the absorption rate of the AlGaN photocathode with varied Al composition is half of the AlGaN photocathode with uniform Al composition, but the quantum efficiency of the photocathode with varied Al composition is approximately 29% higher than that of the photocathode with uniform Al composition. The built-in field within the emission layer of the AlGaN photocathode with varied Al composition is much higher than that of the photocathode with uniform Al composition, which is the main factor that promotes the photoelectron movement toward the photocathode surface and improves photoemission performance of the AlGaN photocathode.

Effect of surface cleaning on spectral response for InGaAs photocathodes

Photocathode surface treatment aims to obtain high sensitivity, where the key point is to acquire an atomically clean surface. Various surface cleaning methods for removing contamination from InGaAs photocathode surfaces were investigated. The atomic compositions of InGaAs photocathode structures and surfaces were measured by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Ar ion sputtering. After surface cleaning, the InGaAs surface is arsenoxide-free, however, a small amount of Ga2O3 and In2O3 still can be found. The 1:1 mixed solution of hydrochloric acid to deionized water followed by thermal annealing at 525°C has been demonstrated to be the best choice in dealing with the surface oxides. After the Cs/O activation, a surface model was proposed where the oxides on the surface will lead to a positive electron affinity, adversely affecting low-energy electrons escaping to the vacuum, which is reflected by the photocurrent curves and the spectral response curves.

Performance stability of reflection-mode AlGaN photocathode under different preparation methods

To research the attenuation performance of the AlGaN photocathode, three samples with same structures grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) were activated with three different activation methods, which are Cs-only, Cs-O and Cs-O-Cs activation, respectively. The spectral responses and attenuated photocurrents of three AlGaN photocathodes were measured, the result shows that the Cs-O activated AlGaN photocathode have the lowest attenuation speed in the first few hours, the next are Cs-O-Cs and Cs-only activation, respectively. After the Cs-O-Cs activation sample has attenuated 90 min, its attenuation photocurrent curve is coincident with the Cs-O activation sample in the next measurement. The main factor which affects the photocurrent attenuation is Cs atom desorbed from the photocathodes surface.

Research on quantum efficiency for reflection-mode InGaAs photocathodes with thin emission layer.

In order to understand the photoemission mechanism of the reflection-mode InGaAs photocathode with a thin emission layer, the formula describing reflection-mode quantum efficiency is revised by solving the one-dimensional continuity equation, in which the electrons generated in the GaAs buffer layer are considered. Compared with the conventional formula, the revised formula is proved to be more suitable for the reflection-mode InGaAs photocathode with a thin emission layer. In experiment, the InGaAs sample goes through two-step surface preparation including a wet chemical cleaning process and a heat treatment process. Then the sample is activated by Cs/O and the experimental quantum efficiency curves are measured simultaneously every other hour. The measured results show that the shapes of the quantum efficiency curves degrade with time because of the contamination of residual gases in the vacuum system. All the quantum efficiency curves are well fitted by the revised formula.

Design of optical component structure for AlxGa1-xN photocathodes

AlxGa1-xN photocathode was prepared by MOCVD and the reflectivity, transmittance, and absorptivity were test. Based on thin film principle, optical model of t-mode AlxGa1-xN photocathodes was built, and then optical properties and quantum efficiencies were simulated. Results show that AlxGa1-xN photocathodes satisfy the need of detectors with “solar blind” property when the Al component is larger than 0.250. There is an optimal thickness of AlxGa1-xN layer to obtain highest quantum efficiency, and the optimal thickness is 0.3μm. There is close relation between absorptivity and quantum efficiency, which is in good agreement with the “three-step” model. This work gives a reference for the design and preparation of AlxGa1-xN photocathodes.