MBE grown alkali antimonide photocathodes
View Patent ↗A photocathode manufacturing intermediary article ( 24 ) includes a substrate layer ( 26 ), and an active layer ( 20 ) that is carried by the substrate layer ( 26 ). The active layer ( 20 ) includes photoemissive alkali antimonide material that is epitaxially grown on the substrate ( 26 ).
1. A photocathode manufacturing intermediary article comprising:
a crystal substrate suitable for single crystal growth thereon;
an active layer carried by the crystal substrate, the active layer including photoemissive alkali antimonide material epitaxially grown as a single crystal on the substrate; and,
the crystal substrate having a lattice constant aprroximately equal to the lattice constant of the active layer.
2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the crystal substrate includes spinal.
3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the spinal has a lattice constant of 8.083 Å.
4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the alkali antimonide material is in a cubic phase.
5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the alkali antimonide material has a lattice constant between 7.73 and 9.18 Å.
6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the substrate is transparent to light in a desired wavelength range.
7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the substrate is composed of a member from a family of materials including spinal.
8. A method for making a photocathode manufacturing intermediary article comprising:
forming a single crystal active layer carried by crystal substrate suitable for single crystal growth thereon, the active layer including photoemissive alkali antimonide material epitaxially grown on the crystal substrate; and,
the crystal substrate having a lattice constant approximately equal to the lattice constant of the active layer.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the crystal substrate includes spinal.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the spinel has a lattice constant of 8.083 Å.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the alkali antimonide material is in a cubic phase.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein the alkali antimonide material has a lattice constant between 7.73 and 9.18 Å.
13. The method of claim 8 wherein the substrate is transparent to light in a desired wavelength range.
14. The method of claim 8 wherein the substrate is composed of a member from a family of materials including spinel.