We report here a general theory describing photoelectron transportation dynamics in GaAs semiconductor photocathodes. Gradient doping is incorporated into the model through the inclusion of directional carrier drift. The time-evolution of electron concentration in the active layer upon the injection of an excitation pulse is solved both numerically and analytically. The predictions of the model are compared with experiments via a carrier-induced transient reflectivity change, which is measured for gradient-doped and uniform-doped photocathodes using femtosecond pump–probe reflectometry. An excellent agreement is found between the experiments and the theory, leading to the characterization of key device parameters, such as diffusion constant and electron decay rates. Comparisons are also made between uniform doping and gradient doping for their characteristics in photoelectron transportation. Doping gradient is found to be able to accelerate electron accumulation on the device surface. These results offer new insights into the dynamics of III–V photocathodes and potentially open a new avenue toward experimental characterization of device parameters.

Internal factors (thermal lens,cavity lengths,enabled aperture etc) restricting the output of the LD end-pumped Nd:YVO4 solid-state laser with flat-flat cavity is studied. A reasonable explaination is given and a way of improving the output is pointed out through the graphic analysis of the transmitting and transforming circle.

We present a theoretical model describing photoelectron transport dynamics in stepwise-doped GaAs photocathodes. Built-in electric field caused by the doping structure is analyzed, and the time-evolution of electron concentration in the active layer induced by a femtosecond laser pulse is solved. The predictions of the model show excellent agreement with the experimental data measured with pump-probe transient reflectometry, demonstrating the capability of the theoretical model in predicting photoelectron behaviors in real devices. Comparisons are also made between this stepwise doping model and the conventional gradient doping model with a continuous doping profile, thereby providing the first quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness and the limitation of the gradient doping model in describing actual stepwise-doped devices.

We report a comparative study of free-electron dynamics in uniform-doped and gradient- doped GaAs photocathodes using femtosecond pump-probe transient reflectometry. The result shows better photoelectron accumulation in gradient-doped device, evidently due to drift-assisted carrier transportation.

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