Measurements of intrinsic emittance dependence on rf field for copper photocathodes

Radio-frequency (rf) photoinjectors are used to generate high-brightness electron beams for a wide range of applications. Because of their outstanding beam quality, they are particularly well-suited as sources for X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs). The beam emittance, which is significantly influenced by the intrinsic emittance of the cathode, is fundamental for FELs, since it has a strong impact on the lasing performance and it defines the length and cost of the facility. In this paper we present measurements of the intrinsic emittance as a function of the rf field for a copper photocathode. Our measurements match with the theoretical expectations, showing that the intrinsic emittance can be reduced by decreasing the rf field at the cathode. We obtained normalized intrinsic emittances down to 350 nm/mm, the lowest values ever measured in a rf photoinjector.