The GaAs photocathode has been widely used in optoelectronic devices such as image intensifiers and photomultiplier tubes, but it is inevitable for these devices to withstand a variety of mechanical shock. In order to study the impact on the GaAs photocathode’s photoemission performance caused by mechanical shock, GaAs photocathode image intensifier is researched in this paper . The spectral response of the GaAs photocathode was tested respectively before and after several value of mechanical shock（the value of mechanical shock:55g，65g，75g，85g and 95g）.The parameter of the GaAs photocathode can be calculated and the quantum efficiency curve can be fitted as well using the MATLAB software. The results show that surface escape probability is increased after photocathode is subjected to mechanical shock, so that its photoemission performance will be improved. We think this phenomenon is due to the GaAs photocathode surface Cs-O reconstruction. This finding provided a new method to enhance the photoemission performance of photocathode.

Date Published: 16 August 2013
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 8912, International Symposium on Photoelectronic Detection and Imaging 2013: Low-Light-Level Technology and Applications, 89120W (16 August 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2034004

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8912:
International Symposium on Photoelectronic Detection and Imaging 2013: Low-Light-Level Technology and Applications
Benkang Chang; Hui Guo, Editor(s)