High Performance High Current CW polarized photocathodes for Electron Ion Colliders

C53-34d-271376Photocathodes with improved performance for the production of spin polarized electrons for delivering beams with average currents up to several mA with operational lifetimes >24 hours, longitudinal spin polarization greater than 90% and an initial quantum efficiency >5% at ~ 780nm are required for nuclear physics and other basic sciences application. Photocathodes delivering high bunch charges, > 100 pC/bunch, are required for the storage ring at the Electron Ion Collider (EIC) facilities. Spin polarized electron sources are currently based on strained III-V material (GaAs/GaAsP) layer-based photocathodes. The photocathodes Quantum Efficiency (QE) (i.e.the number of electrons produced per photon) depends on many parameters; including the defect density and is also limited by the weak photon absorption of the absorbing medium near the band edge. The Electron Spin Polarization efficiency (ESP) of the photocathode layer depends on the energy separation of the heavy hole and light hole bands, which is enhanced by the mechanical strain of the absorption layers. To simultaneously increase QE and ESP Structured Materials Industries Inc., (SMI) is fabricating a a III-V material structure that can effectively trap the light in thinner absorption layers that to increases quantum efficiency and spin polarization. Our Phase I performance demonstrated gallium arsenide phosphide-based material structured will be refined to achieve highest performance electron spin polarized photocathodes.Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) techniques will be used to grow highly efficient structures to deliver highly efficient photocathodes; MOCVD has generally been proven to be faster and more effective in producing high-quality device layers than other techniques. The anticipated public benefits of this work include technical, economic, social, and other benefits to the public as a whole and advancement in science by advancing the capabilities to understand phenomenon at atomic scale resolution, generating new discoveries. This project will advance the nuclear physics sector with the development of high-energy electron accelerators, the possibility to study nuclei, quarks, and gauge bosons using the polarized electron sources produced here. Furthermore, the technology helps in enabling basic energy and medical sciences, understanding of the universe and also for the US to lead on cutting edge technology in the world.