Issue 9, 2023

Bright and ultrafast electron point source made of LaB6 nanotip

Abstract

The development of time-resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultrafast electron spectroscopy and pulsed X-ray sources relies on the realization of stable and high brightness sources of ultra-short electron bunches with a long service time. The flat photocathodes implanted in thermionic electron guns have been replaced by Schottky-type or cold-field emission sources driven by ultra-fast laser. Recently, lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) nanoneedles have been reported to have high brightness and high emission stability when working in a continuous emission mode. Here, we prepare nano-field emitters from bulk LaB6 and we report on their use as ultra-fast electron sources. Using a high repetition rate laser in the infrared range, we present different field emission regimes as a function of the extraction voltage and laser intensity. The properties of the electron source (brightness, stability, energy spectrum and emission pattern) are determined for the different regimes. Our results show that LaB6 nanoneedles can be used as ultrafast and ultra-bright sources for time-resolved TEM, with better performances as compared to metallic ultra-fast field-emitters.

Graphical abstract: Bright and ultrafast electron point source made of LaB6 nanotip

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
30 Janv. 2023
Accepted
10 Marts 2023
First published
24 Marts 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Nanoscale Adv., 2023,5, 2462-2469

Bright and ultrafast electron point source made of LaB6 nanotip

O. Bhorade, B. Deconihout, I. Blum, S. Moldovan, J. Houard, A. Normand, K. Jagtap, M. More and A. Vella, Nanoscale Adv., 2023, 5, 2462 DOI: 10.1039/D3NA00069A

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