TY - JOUR A1 - Prommesberger, Christian A1 - Bachmann, Michael A1 - Düsberg, Felix A1 - Langer, Christoph A1 - Ławrowski, Robert Damian A1 - Hofmann, Martin A1 - Pahlke, Andreas A1 - Schreiner, Rupert T1 - Regulation of the Transmitted Electron Flux in a Field-Emission Electron Source Demonstrated on Si Nanowhisker Cathodes T2 - IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices N2 - We report on a method to stabilize the transmitted electron flux in a field-emission electron source using an external regulation circuit. The electron source was realized with an array of silicon (Si) nanowhiskers on the top of elongated pillar structures, a mica spacer, and an extraction grid made of Si. As for most applications, the emitted electron current from the cathode is not as crucial as the transmitted electron flux through the extraction grid toward the anode. We investigated a method which allows the regulation directly by the emitted electron flux and not merely on the cathode current. By using this method, we were able to stabilize the emitted electron flux of our electron source down to values below 1%. Simultaneously, it was shown that there is the possibility to stabilize the influencing value in the real application as well. The effectiveness of this method was demonstrated successfully with an X-ray source setup. The measured X-ray photon count rate was stabilized to a standard deviation of 0.30% at a pressure of 1 × 10 -7 mbar. Even in harsh environment of 2 × 10 -5 mbar, a stabilization of the X-ray photon count rate down to a value of 0.63% was achieved. KW - Cathodes KW - Nanostructured devices KW - Current measurement KW - Photonics KW - Electron sources KW - Emissions KW - Voltage measurement Y1 - 2021 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-oth-regensburg/frontdoor/index/index/docId/1033 SN - 5128-5133 VL - 64 IS - 12 ER -