Abstract:
A thermionic cathode comprising a lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) emitter and an emission current-intercepting plate made of rhenium containing an aperture disposed adjacent the emitter. The separation between the emitter and plate is set as small as possible without physical contact between them, typically 0.1 mm. The beam emitted through the aperture has high brightness and low energy spread. To prevent corrosion of the emitter it is housed in a cavity which is exposed to the vacuum of the apparatus only through the aperture.