Application of the interleaved comb chopper to time-of-flight electron spectrometry

We examined the use of the interleaved comb chopper for time-of-flight electron spectrometry. Both static and dynamic behaviors are simulated theoretically and measured experimentally, with very good agreement. The finite penetration of the field beyond the plane of the chopper leads to non-ideal chopper response, which is characterized in terms of an “energy corruption” effect and a lead or lag in the time at which the beam responds to the chopper potential.