Comparative research on indium seal process for transmission-mode GaAs photocathodes

For night vision devices and other applications, the transmission-mode photocathodes must be sealed to tube by indium seal process (ISP) in practical application. But in early research, the integral sensitivity has large drop to about 30% amplitude after ISP process than after activation process. In order to well study the influence of ISP on surface barriers of activated GaAs photocathodes, we used the comparative research method by surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS) and spectral response current (SRC). Through fitting calculation, we can find that the impurity gas sources by micro channel plate and fluorescent screen have deep influence on the amplitude and width of surface barriers which lead to the large drop on SRC curves before and after ISP process. This on-line comparative research method can help to optimize ISP technique and vacuum degree optimization for transmission-mode GaAs photocathodes in the future.