Sub-picosecond electron bunch creation with miniature rf-technology

Sub-picosecond electron bunch creation has, thus far, been realized with the use of femtosecond lasers interacting with cold ions, cathodes, and plasmas. We present a novel technique for the creation of sub-picosecond electron bunches without the use of cumbersome femtosecond laser systems. Using a 30 keV electron beam from an SEM, we will utilize an rf-cavity operating at 3 GHz in the TM110 mode and an aperture to chop the beam into sub-picosecond bunches. Simulations and calculations have demonstrated that it is possible to chop the beam into femtosecond pulses without seriously disrupting the transverse emittance of the electron bunches. The experimental setup is currently under construction