Ion Back-Bombardment of GaAs Photocathodes Inside DC High Voltage Electron Guns

DC high voltage GaAs photoguns are key components at accelerator facilities worldwide. New experiments and new accelerator facilities demand improved performance from these guns, in particular higher current operation and longer photocathode operating lifetime. This conference submission explores bulk GaAs photocathode lifetime as a function of beam current, active photocathode area, laser spot size and the vacuum of the gun and beam line. Lifetime measurements were made at 100 μA, a beam current relevant for accelerators like CEBAF, and at beam currents of 1 mA and 5 mA, a regime that is interesting for high current Free Electron Laser (FEL) and Energy Recovery Linac (ERL) operation.