The high peak current polarized electron source of the Stanford Linear Collider

The Stanford Linear Collider injector requires two 2 ns pulses of 4.5–5.5 × 1010 electrons, separated by 61 ns at 120 Hz, from its source. Since 1992, these currents have been provided by a polarized electron source based on GaAs photocathodes. A beam polarization of 76 ± 4% has been measured at the end of the 50 GeV linac. At low photocathode quantum efficiencies, and for excitation near threshold, the maximum current delivered by the source is constrained, not by the space charge limit of the gun, but by a “charge limit” of the photocathode. The charge limited current is proportional to the photocathode quantum efficiency, but the proportionality varies for different photocathode types. Experience with high polarization strained GaAs photocathodes on a test beamline and on the SLC is presented.