Abstract:
The latest development of the laser-driven photocathode,an advanced laser technology,was tentatively reviewed.The photocathode driven by laser has been attracting extensive research efforts not only because of its many advantages over the conventional light source,including higher luminance/directivity/monochromatism/laser-coherence,and much stronger photocurrent and remarkable quantum efficiency,but also because of its wide applications in high-energy particle detection and superconducting cavity accelerator.The discussions with specific examples focused on:i)Advanced materials of Na
2KSb,Cs
3Sb,K
2CsSb and Cu photocathodes; ii)Synthesis,fabrication,characterization,and improvement methods of Na
2KS,Cs
3Sb and K
2CsSb photocathodes; and iii) The influence of material-synthesis and device fabrication conditions on quantum efficiency and photoelectric emission life of K
2CsSb and Cu photocathodes.Moreover,the development trends,basis and technological problems,possible solutions and potential applications of laser-driven photocathode were also briefly discussed in a thought provoking way.