Early research has shown that the varied doping structures of the active layer of GaAs photocathodes have been proven to have a higher quantum efficiency than uniform doping structures. On the basis of our early research on the surface photovoltage of GaAs photocathodes, and comparative research before and after activation of reflection-mode GaAs photocathodes, we further the comparative research on transmission-mode GaAs photocathodes. An exponential doping structure is the typical varied doping structure that can form a uniform electric field in the active layer. By solving the one-dimensional diffusion equation for no equilibrium minority carriers of transmission-mode GaAs photocathodes of the exponential doping structure, we can obtain the equations for the surface photovoltage （SPV） curve before activation and the spectral response curve （SRC） after activation. Through experiments and fitting calculations for the designed material, the body-material parameters can be well fitted by the SPV before activation, and proven by the fitting calculation for SRC after activation. Through the comparative research before and after activation, the average surface escape probability （SEP） can also be well fitted. This comparative research method can measure the body parameters and the value of SEP for the transmission-mode GaAs photocathode more exactly than the early method, which only measures the body parameters by SRC after activation. It can also help us to deeply study and exactly measure the parameters of the varied doping structures for transmission-mode GaAs photocathodes, and optimize the Cs-O activation technique in the future.
The stability of a reflection-mode GaAs photocathode has been investigated by monitoring the photocurrent and the spectral response at room temperature. We observe the photocurrent of the cathode decaying with time in the vacuum system under the action of Cs current, and find that the Cs atoms residing in the vacuum system are helpful in prolonging the life of the cathode. We examine the evolution and analyse the influence of the barrier on the spectral response of the cathode. Our results support the double dipolar mode] for the explanation of the negative electron affinity effect.
The gradient-doping structure is first applied to prepare the transmission-mode GaAs photocathode and the integral sensitivity of the sealed image tube achieves 1420μA/lm. This paper studies the inner carrier concentration distribution of the gradient-doping transmission-mode GaAs photocathode after molecular beam epitaxy （MBE） growth using the electrochemical capacitance-voltage profiling. The results show that an ideal gradient-doping structure can be obtained by using MBE growth. The total band-bending energy in the gradient-doping GaAs active-layer with doping concentration ranging from 1×10^19 cm-3 to 1×1018 cm-3 is calculated to be 46.3 meV, which helps to improve the photoexcited electrons movement toward surface for the thin epilayer. In addition,by analysis of the band offsets, it is found that the worse carrier concentration discrepancy between GaAs and GaA1As causes a lower back interface electron potential barrier which decreases the amount of high-energy photoelectrons and affects the short-wave response.
