Research

Our goal is to develop and demonstrate ‘designer’ cold cathode electron sources with tunable parameters (bandgap, efficiency, optical absorption) that outperform present technologies by an order of magnitude in terms of efficiency and lifetime, where success in either of these metrics is considered transformational.

We introduce fundamentally new approaches to address decadal weaknesses in performance and enable cathode properties to be tuned or engineered for specific DOE/LANL missions and related applications. The comprehensive nature of this project requires a focused multi-path, multi-disciplinary approach.

Robustness and lifetime extension

The goal is to engineer two-dimensional (2D) membranes, such as graphene, to serve as a transparent gas barrier shield that does not hinder photoemission but does isolate the cathode surface from reactive gas species without physical damage induced by the high current density electron beam, thus preventing contamination and yielding longer lifetime.

Integrated tests and demonstration

We ensure that performance gains using our novel photocathode concepts are cast within the framework of realistic cathode design and the constraints of a vacuum environment.

We also mature and integrate theoretical photoemission models that account for and predict the effect of the above techniques on local electron density function and other parameters which determine photoemissivity. Measurement of quantum efficiency, spectral response, lifetime, and emittance add to the multiple material characterization techniques to provide a comprehensive picture of cathode performance.

 

Recent News and Publications

September

May

  • An articles on our paper (work function lowering of LaB6 by monolayer hexagonal boron nitride coating for improved photo- and thermionic-cathodes) was published in LANL STE Highlights.
  • We were invited to present our work under the DOE U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics at The 45th meeting of the US-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics in Hawaii (in-person). The topic was on the use of 2D materials as unique protection layer for bialkali photocathodes. 
  • Our proposal for the DOE U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics on overcoming quantum efficiency-lifetime limit of photocathodes for accelerator beam source by integration of atomically-thin protecting layers has been awarded. The lead U.S. and Japanese institutions are LANL and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), respectively. Congratulations, Hisato!

April

March

  • An articles on our paper (Near-Threshold Photoemission from Graphene-Coated (110)) was published in LANL STE Highlights.
  • An articles on our paper (rugged bialkali photocathodes encapsulated with graphene and thin metal film) was published in LANL STE Highlights 

February

January

  • Our paper on Near-Threshold Photoemission from Graphene-Coated (110) was published in Physical Review Applied. This was in collaboration with Prof. Siddharth Karkare of Arizona State University and Prof. Hiroki Ago of Kyushu University, Japan. Congratulations, Hisato!
  • Jinlin Zhang joined LANL as a postdoctoral associate. Welcome, Jinlin!

Project Members

  • Vitaly Pavlenko (AOT-AE)
  • Anna Alexander (AOT-AE)
  • Jinlin Zhang (AOT-AE)
  • Mark Hoffbauer (C-CDE)
  • Dr. Kevin Jensen (UMD)
  • Dr. John Smedley (SLAC)
  • Dr. Mengjia Gaowei (BNL)
  • Dr. Masahiro Yamamoto (KEK, Japan)
  • Dr. Lei Guo (Nagoya University, Japan)
  • Aditya D. Mohite (LANL > Rice University)
  • Gautam Gupta  (LANL > University of Louisville)
  • Michael Holloway (ISR-4)
  • David Lizon (ISR-4)
  • Jeffrey Pietryga (C-PCS)
  • Istvan Robel (C-PCS)
  • Andrew Shabaev (Naval Research Laboratory)
  • Sam Lambrakos (Naval Research Laboratory)
  • Daniel Finkenstadt (United States Naval Academy)
  • Prof. Prabhakar Bandaru (UCSD)
  • John Lewellen (LANL)
  • Fangze Liu (LANL->China)
  • John Smedley (LANL->SLAC)

News

November

  • Our proposal for the DOE Accelerator R&D and Production (ARDAP) in High Energy Physics on automated growth of photocathodes for accelerator beam source has been awarded for two years. Congratulations, Vitaly!

October

  • Hisato Yamaguchi gave an invited talk on the use of 2D materials as unique protection layer for bialkali photocathodes at International Workshop on Energy Recovery Linacs (ERL 22) held at Cornell University (in person).

September

July

  • LANL internal three-year project on development of high-gradient accelerators will start in October! Our role in the project is on the development of photocathodes.

June

  • Hisato Yamaguchi gave an invited talk on the use of 2D materials as unique protection layer for bialkali photocathodes at the 241st Electrochemical Society (ECS) meeting (presentation via online).

May

  • Hisato Yamaguchi presented a poster on the use of 2D materials as unique protection layer for bialkali photocathodes at Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring meeting in Hawaii (in person).

April

  • We were invited to present our work under the DOE U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics at their program annual meeting (presentation via online). The topic was on the use of 2D materials as unique protection layer for bialkali photocathodes.

February

January

December

October

July

  • Vitaly Pavlenko was awarded an interlal exploratory research grant at LANL on growth of epitaxial photocathodes for accelerator beam source. The project will run for 3 years. Congratulations, Vitaly!

June

May

  • Our proposal for the DOE U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics on overcoming quantum efficiency-lifetime limit of photocathodes for accelerator beam source by integration of atomically-thin protecting layers has been awarded. The lead U.S. and Japanese institutions are LANL and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), respectively. Congratulations, Hisato!

December

  • Hisato Yamaguchi gave an invited talk on the use of 2D materials as unique protection layer for bialkali photocathodes at the Japanese Beam Physics Society Workshop (virtual).

October

July

June

May

  • Our proposal for the DOE U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics on overcoming quantum efficiency-lifetime limit of photocathodes for accelerator beam source by integration of atomically-thin protecting layers has been awarded. The lead U.S. and Japanese institutions are LANL and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), respectively. Congratulations, Hisato!

March

February

December

Pss Featured Body   960x500

 

 November

  • Our R&D 100 Award on Atomic Armor was featured by our industorial collaborator, Photonis. Click here.
  • Our R&D 100 Award on Atomic Armor was featured in LANL News Release.

October

Rd Atomic Featured Body   960x500

 

August

  • US patent on "Tunable quantum confinement and quantum dot photocathode" was granted. Congratulations, Nathan, Jeff, and Istvan! US 10,395,882

July

  • US patent on "Phototcathodes with protective in-situ graphene gas barrier films and method of making the same" was granted. Congratulations, Nathan and Hisato! US 10,354,828
  • Hisato visited our collaborators in Japan at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) and Nagoya University, Japan for the DOE U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics project. They had fruitful discussion on future plans!

June

May

  • Our proposal for the DOE U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics [LAB 19-1902] on overcoming quantum efficiency-lifetime limit of photocathodes for accelerator beam source by integration of atomically-thin protecting layers has been awarded. The lead U.S. and Japanese institutions are LANL and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), respectively. Congratulations, Hisato!

April

March

February

  • John Smedley joined LANL as a deputy group leader of Accelerators and Electrodynamics (AOT-AE). Welcome, John!
  • Anna Alexander joined LANL as a postdoctoral associate from being our academic collaborator. Welcome, Anna!

January

  • Vitaly Pavlenko was awarded competitave early career research grant at LANL on automated growth of photocathodes for accelerator beam source. The project will run for 2 years. Congratulations, Vitaly!
  • Kevin Jensen of Naval Research Laboratory visited LANL for meetings. Thank you for coming!

October

  • Our paper on perspectives on designer photocathodes was published in Physical Review Applied. Congratulations, Nathan and Kevin!
  • LANL hosted Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors Workshop (P3) at Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Resort and Spa, NM. Dates were October 15-17 with a conference website here. It was a success with state-of-the-art research results and active interactions!
  • Hisato visited our collaborators in Japan at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) for the DOE U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics project. They had fruitful discussion on future plans!
Group 2018 Featured Body

 September

  • Our work on free-standing bialkali photocathodes using atomically thin substrates published in Advanced Materials Interfaces was featured in September 2018 issue of Los Alamos National Laboratory Science Highlights. Click here.
  • Our work on free-standing bialkali photocathodes using atomically thin substrates published in Advanced Materials Interfaces was press released by our contributor's institution, Argonne National Laboratory. Click here.

June

May

  • Our proposal for the DOE U.S.-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Program in High Energy Physics [LAB 18-1802] on overcoming quantum efficiency-lifetime limit of photocathodes for accelerator beam source by integration of atomically-thin protecting layers has been awarded. The lead U.S. and Japanese institutions are LANL and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), respectively. Congratulations, Hisato!

April

Ami Featured Body

 

February

January

June

March

  • Final review of our LANL internal three-year project on photocathode development for accelerator beam source was a success!

October

  • Majority of team members presented at Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors conference that was held at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA during October 17-19.

September

  • Applied Cathode Enhancement and Robustness Technology (ACERT) was awarded Los Alamos National Laboratory 2015 Distinguished Performance Award for Large Teams. Our contributions was evaluated highly for its dedication, effort, and outstanding, sustained performance that helped support Los Alamos National Laboratory's transformational science in a safe, secure workplace.
Acert Team 2017 Featured Body

February

  • Our project website is open!

January

  • Our academic collaborator Prof. Prabhakar Bandarus and Anna Alexander from UC San Diego visited LANL to join us for our bi-weekly project meeting. Thank you for visiting!

September

  • Our LANL internal three-year project on photocathode development for accelerator beam source has started and had our kick-off meeting!
  • Nathan Moody's patent US 8,823,259 on graphene protection of photocathodes for accelerator beam source was granted.

Publications

  • B. E. Carlsten, S. J. Russell, J. W. Lewellen, D. C. Nguyen, P. M. Anisimov, C. E. Buechler, K. A. Bishofberger, L. D. Duffy, F. L. Krawczyk, Q. R. Marksteiner, N. A. Moody, N. Yampolsky, and R. L. Sheffield "MaRIE XFEL physics design risks and risk mitigation plans" DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396 (2015).
  • Wanyi Nie, Gautam Gupta, Brian K. Crone, Feilong Liu, Darryl L. Smith, P. Paul Ruden, Cheng-Yu Kuo, Hsinhan Tsai, Hsing-Lin Wang, Hao Li, Sergei Tretiak and Aditya D. Mohite Interface Design Principles for High-Performance Organic Semiconductor DevicesAdvanced Science 2,1500024 (2015). 
  • J. W. Lewellen and N. A. Moody “High gradient cathode testing for MaRIE” Proceedings for FEL2014, THP024 (2014).
  • N. A. Moody, H. Yamaguchi, G. Gupta, A. D. Mohite “Graphene shield-enhancement of photosensitive surfaces and devices” Proc. SPIE, Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications VI, 908333 (2014). doi: 10.1117/12.2052963
  • H.Yamaguchi*, Jimmy Granstrom, Wanyi Nie, Hossein Sojoudi, Takeshi Fujita, Damien Voiry, Mingwei Chen, Gautam Gupta, Aditya D. Mohite, Samuel Graham, and Manish Chhowalla* “Reduced Graphene Oxide Thin Films as Ultrabarriers for Organic Electronics” Adv. Energy Mater. 4, 1300986 (2014). *corresponding authors DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201300986

Presentations

Nathan A. Moody
Department of Energy (DOE)
Decadal Roadmap: NCRF Injector Technologies 2017

  • Nathan A. Moody
    Department of Energy (DOE) Decadal Roadmap: Future Electron Sources Workshop 2016
  • John Lewellen
    "Motivation for photocathode source development"
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Nathan A. Moody
    "LANL Updates and Quantum Dots: photoemission from quantized energy states"
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Kevin Jensen (Naval Research Laboratory)
    "Transfer Matrix Methods"
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Andrew Shabaev (Naval Research Laboratory)
    "DFT and Graded Composition, Heterostructures and Graphene"
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Andrew Shabaev (Naval Research Laboratory)
    "Quantum Dots Tutorial"
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Daniel Finkenstadt (United States Naval Academy)
    "DFT-Calculated Properties of Graphene Shield Enhanced Photocathodes"
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • John Lewellen
    "Diagnostics and Interchange Capabilities for Advanced Cathodes" (Poster)
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Aditya D. Mohite
    "Graphene shield-enhancement of photosensitive surface and devices" (Poster)
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Vitaly Pavlenko
    "Alkali-based Photocathode Degradation: Role of Adsorption via Kinetic Model" (Poster)
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Mark A. Hoffbauer
    "The ACERT Multiphysics Photocathode Growth and Characterization System" (Poster)
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Istvan Robel
    "Quantum Dot Photocathodes" (Poster)
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA
    October 17-19, 2016
  • Finkenstadt, Daniel; Jensen, Kevin L.; Lambrakos, Samuel G.; Shabaev, Andrew; Moody, Nathan A.
    "Photoemission from Graphene on Copper and Cesium Antimonide: Theory and Experiment"
    APS March Meeting, #H26.007 (2016).
  • J. Pietryga
    "Nanocrystal quantum dots for non-traditional, high-energy applications"
    Gordon Research Conference - Nanomaterials for Applications in Energy Technology
    Ventura Beach Marriott, Ventura, CA
    February 22-27, 2015
  • N. A. Moody
    "Cathode initiatives at LANL and early results on graphene shielding for cathodes"
    Photocathode Physics for Photoinjectors
    LBNL, Berkeley
    November 3-5, 2014

Patents

  • Hisato Yamaguchi, Fangze Liu, Nathan A. Moody
    "Photocathodes with an enhancement layer and method of making the same"
    US 11,062,890 (2021).
  • Nathan Moody, Jeffrey Pietryga, Gautam Gupta, Aditya Mohite, Vitaly Pavlenko, John Lewellen, Hisato Yamaguchi
    "Photocathodes with protective in-situ graphene gas barrier films and method of making the same"
    US 10,535,486 (2020).
  • Nathan Moody, Gautam Gupta, Aditya Mohite
    "Thermionic cathode with a graphene sealing layer and method of making the same"
    US 10,679,816 (2020).
  • N. A. Moody, J. Pietryga, I. Robel
    "Tunable quantum confinement and quantum dot photocathode"
    US 10,395,882 (2019).
  • Nathan A. Moody, Mark A. Hoffbauer
    "Electron photoemission with tunable excitation and transport energetics"
    US 10,381,187 (2019).

Nathan A. Moody, David C. Lizon
"Photocathode device that replenishes photoemissive coating"
US 9,368,311 (2016).

  • Nathan A. Moody
    "Graphene Shield Enhanced Photocathodes and Methods for Making the Same"
    Publication number: US 8,823,259
    Grant date: Sept. 2, 2014
    Priority date: May 7, 2012