Photoemission characteristics of thin GaAs-based heterojunction photocathodes

To better understand the different photoemission mechanism of thin heterojunction photocathodes, the quantum efficiency models of reflection-mode and transmission-mode GaAs-based heterojunction photocathodes are revised based on one-dimensional continuity equations, wherein photoelectrons generated from both the emission layer and buffer layer are taken into account. By comparison of simulated results between the revised and conventional models, it is found that the electron contribution from the buffer layer to shortwave quantum efficiency is closely related to some factors, such as the thicknesses of emission layer and buffer layer and the interface recombination velocity. Besides, the experimental quantum efficiency data of reflection-mode and transmission-mode AlGaAs/GaAs photocathodes are well fitted to the revised models, which confirm the applicability of the revised quantum efficiency models. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.