Previous devices for producing sub-picosecond electron-beam pulses have the disadvantage of a fixed repetition frequency and/or a fixed primary electron energy. The novel sub-picosecond electron-beam blanking system does not have this disadvantage, is matched in terms of radio-frequency and produces in each case only one primary electron pulse per cycle of the controlling voltage. The electron-beam blanking system consists of any radio-frequency line, modified for the entrance and discharge of electron beams, in whose electromagnetic field the electrons are subjected to an elliptical deflection, and two slotted diaphragms orthogonally arranged with respect to one another. These slotted diaphragms are suitably positioned and make it possible to produce primary electron pulses which have a duration of less than 150 fs. Areas of application for the sub-picosecond electron-beam blanking system are numerous stroboscopic electron-beam measuring and testing methods.
