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[References: 58 tit.]

The Laser-induced Thermionic Vacuum Arc method was applied to optimize magnesium-silver (Mg:Ag) alloys, which can be potentially used as stable metallic cathodes for optoelectronic devices. Besides lowering the cathode work function given by the magnesium that improves the electron injection, Mg:Ag alloys induce a higher electrical conductivity, estimated here to be 3.42•107 S m-1 for AgMg3, compared with 2.64•107 S m-1, estimated here for Mg thin films. Mg:Ag alloys avoid the critical issue of Mg oxidation for better charge injection in optoelectronic active layers. By improving the Thermionic Vacuum Arc technique with the laser beam, this method enables the control of the silver concentration in these alloys due to photonic processes. The uniformity of metallic thin films, compactness, and high purity are the primary advantages of the Laser-induced Thermionic Vacuum Arc method.