Enhancement of Photoemission on P-type GaAs using Surface Acoustic Waves

2019/03/25 by Boqun Dong, Dong, Boqun, Andrei Afanasev +5
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Applied Physics (physics.app-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Gyrotron and Vacuum Electronics Research #Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det) #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Photocathodes and Microchannel Plates #Semiconductor Quantum Structures and Devices

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1903.10380

openalex publication_date 2019/03/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

We demonstrate that photoemission properties of GaAs photocathodes (PCs) can be altered by surface acoustic waves (SAWs) generated on the PC surface due to dynamical piezoelectric fields of SAWs. Simulations with COMSOL indicate that electron effective lifetime in p-doped GaAs may increase by a factor of 10x to 20x. It implies a significant, by a factor of 2x to 3x, increase of quantum efficiency (QE) for GaAs PCs. Essential steps in device fabrication are demonstrated, including deposition of an additional layer of ZnO for piezoelectric effect enhancement, measurements of I-V characteristic of the SAW device, and ability to survive high-temperature annealing.

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