A low-voltage retarding-field Mott polarimeter for photocathode characterization

TL;DR

This paper introduces a compact, low-voltage retarding-field Mott polarimeter designed for photocathode characterization, offering improved calibration and efficiency for polarized electron beam experiments at Jefferson Lab.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel low-voltage Mott polarimeter with simplified electrodes and calibration methods, enhancing photocathode testing capabilities.

Findings

Effective Sherman function calibrated at 0.201(5) for 20 keV electrons.

Maximum efficiency of 5.4(2) x 10^-4 at 20 keV.

Figure-of-merit of 1.0(1) x 10^-5 demonstrating performance.

Abstract

Nuclear physics experiments at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility's CEBAF rely on high polarization electron beams. We describe a recently commissioned system for prequalifying and studying photocathodes for CEBAF with a load-locked, low-voltage polarized electron source coupled to a compact retarding-field Mott polarimeter. The polarimeter uses simplified electrode structures and operates from 5 to 30 kV. The effective Sherman function for this device has been calibrated by comparison with the CEBAF 5 MeV Mott polarimeter. For elastic scattering from a thick gold target at 20 keV, the effective Sherman function is 0.201(5). Its maximum efficiency at 20 keV, defined as the detected count rate divided by the incident particle current, is 5.4(2) x 10-4, yielding a figure-of-merit, or analyzing power squared times efficiency, of 1.0(1) x 10-5. The operating parameters of this new polarimeter design are compared to previously published data for other compact Mott polarimeters of the retarding-field type.