Time-of-flight electron velocity spectrometer using transverse electric field deflectors

A time-of-flight electron velocity spectrometer using two transverse electric field deflectors as fast electronic shutters has been constructed. Square-wave voltage pulses applied to the two shutters limit the transmitted current to electrons in selected narrow velocity ranges. Analysis of the magnitude of this transmitted electron current as a function of the time delay between the two shutter openings leads to the electron velocity or energy spectrum in the incident charged particle beam. Time resolutions of 5 ns (FWHM) can be obtained with the present apparatus for electrons in the 5-100 eV range.