Generation of focused electron beam and X-rays by the doped LiNbO3 crystals

Abstract Generation of focused electrons beam with energies up to 100 keV from undoped LiNbO3 (LN) crystals have been observed [J.D. Brownridge, Nature 358 (1992) 287; J.D. Brownridge, S.M. Shafroth, Appl. Phys. Lett. 79 (2001) 3364] during heating–cooling cycles in a low-pressure environment. This paper reports about similar results that were observed in doped crystals of LN. Generation of electrons by crystals with thicknesses of 1 and 6 mm, was visualized by ZnS screen [ZSS] during heating–cooling cycles in a vacuum chamber (P = 1–10 mTorr). Generation of X-rays from both thin and thick crystals was evident from registered images from dental X-ray film [DXF]. The possibility of X-ray imaging was demonstrated, using different metal masks. Imaging of X-rays reveals that both focusing and wide-angle scattering modes of operation exist in the electron beams generation pattern during heating–cooling cycles.