Pulsed electron beam generation via laser stimulation

A new method for pulsed electron beam generation using an UV-laser stimulated TiAu-layer is presented. This pulsed photocathode can substitute the conventional electron source and the beam-blanking system in any electron beam measuring system for time resolved measurements (e.g. SEM, cathodoluminescence, EBIC, EBIV, electron beam testing). At present, an average electron beam current of 20 nA containing 1640 electrons per pulse with a pulse duration of 36 ps can be obtained with this photocathode. The electron pulse duration and the pulse shape has been determined experimentally with a streak measurement technique. Compared to a conventional LaB6 thermionic electron source combined with a fast beam blanking system, we got an electron source with a higher electron current, which can improve simultaneously the measurement acquisition time, the signal-to-noise ratio and the spatial resolution.