Maximum intensity, transmission limited cold electron beams from GaAs photocathode in the eV and sub-eV kinetic energy range

Abstract

The deceleration of electrons confined by a weak guiding magnetic field has been studied with the goal of achieving an intense ultracold electron beam, suitable for electron cooling and electron collision experiments with ion beams of very low velocity. By application of a beam deceleration technique the electron current extracted from a GaAs photocathode has been increased by an order of magnitude at a few eV and sub-eV kinetic energy, keeping a low energy spread of the electrons. The true kinetic energy of the slow electrons has been determined, taking space charge effects and contact potential differences into account. © Published by the American Physical Society.