Atomic hydrogen cleaning of InP(100) for preparation of a negative electron affinity photocathode

Abstract

Atomic hydrogen cleaning is used to clean InP(100) negative electron affinity photocathodes. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction patterns of reconstructed, phosphorus-stabilized, InP(100) surfaces are obtained after cleaning at ∼400 °C. These surfaces produce high quantum efficiency photocathodes (∼8.5%), in response to 632.8 nm light. Without atomic hydrogen cleaning, activation of InP to negative electron affinity requires heating to ∼530 °C. At this high temperature, phosphorus evaporates preferentially and a rough surface is obtained. These surfaces produce low quantum efficiency photocathodes (∼0.1%). The use of reflection high-energy electron diffraction to measure the thickness of the deposited cesium layer during activation by correlating diffraction intensity with photoemission is demonstrated.