Speaker
Description
High performance electron accelerators require high brightness electron beams. To achieve this a photocathode with a high quantum efficiency (QE) and low intrinsic emittance is required while also being robust with a long lifetime and low dark current. Photocathodes based on alkali metals can fulfil these requirements and, as such, are an important area of research for the accelerator physics community.
The Compact Linear Accelerator for Research and Applications (CLARA) at STFC Daresbury Laboratory has recently been upgraded from a copper photocathode to a caesium telluride photocathode. This has enabled a significant increase in bunch charge for a fraction of the laser power. We discuss the process of manufacturing and polishing molybdenum photocathode plugs and the subsequent deposition of caesium telluride thin films. Three photocathodes have been provided to the CLARA facility with consistent and high quantum efficiency. One of these photocathodes has been successfully operating in CLARA since September 2025 with a stable QE of approximately 11 %.
| Presenting Author | Hugh Churn |
|---|---|
| Is the Presenting Author a PhD Student or Early Career Scientist ? | No |
| Area of research | Accelerator technology (including magnets) |