Photoassisted and multiphoton emission from single-crystal diamond needles

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Quantum Electronics

Background:

• Developing stable, high-brightness electron sources is crucial for time-resolved electron microscopy.
• Ultra-fast dynamics in materials require advanced electron pulse generation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate electron emission from single-crystal diamond needles under laser illumination.
• To characterize the properties of photoemitted electrons for potential applications.

Main Methods:

• Experimental investigation of static and pulsed electron emission.
• Illumination using sub-picosecond laser pulses at 1040 nm.
• Electron spectroscopy measurements at varying bias voltages, laser power, and repetition rates.

Main Results:

• Significant increase in electron emission current under laser illumination.
• Nonlinear dependence of emission current on laser intensity and polarization angle, indicating multi-photon processes.
• Remarkable stability of diamond emitters under high average laser power.

Conclusions:

• Single-crystal diamond needles serve as a highly efficient photoemitted electron source.
• The observed multi-photon emission processes are consistent with experimental data.
• This technology advances the development of electron sources for ultra-fast material studies.