Temperature dependence of alkali-antimonide photocathodes: Evaluation at cryogenic temperatures

CsₓKySb photocathodes were manufactured on a niobium substrate and evaluated over a range of temperatures from 300 to 77 K. Vacuum conditions were identified that minimize surface contamination due to gas adsorption when samples were cooled below room temperature. Measurements of the photocathode spectral response provided a means to evaluate the photocathode band gap dependence on the temperature and to predict the photocathode quantum efficiency at 4 K, a typical temperature at which superconducting radio frequency photoguns operate.