Short-pulse, high-brightness X-ray production with the PLEIADES Thomson-scattering source

• Published in: Applied physics. B, Lasers and optics Vol. 78; no. 7-8; pp. 891 - 894
• Main Authors: ANDERSON, S. G, BARTY, C. P. J, LESAGE, G. P, ROSENZWEIG, J. B, SLAUGHTER, D. R, SPRINGER, P. T, TREMAINE, A. M, BETTS, S. M, BROWN, W. J, CRANE, J. K, CROSS, R. R, FITTINGHOFF, D. N, GIBSON, D. J, HARTEMANN, F. V, KUBA, J
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.05.2004
• Subjects: Atomic and molecular collision processes and interactions; Atomic and molecular physics; Electron beams; Electron scattering; Energy distribution; Exact sciences and technology; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Laser-modified scattering; Laser-plasma interactions; Lasers; Optimization; Photons; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; Picosecond pulses; X- and γ-ray instruments and techniques; X- and γ-ray sources, mirrors, gratings and detectors; X-ray sources; X-rays; Pulse width; Photon-electron interactions; Hard x radiation; Light matter interaction; Brightness; Energy spectra; Energy distribution; Experimental method; X-ray sources; Experimental study; Relativistic electron beams; Pulsed lasers; Beam brightness; Picosecond; Ultrashort pulse; Subpicosecond; Angular distribution; Thomson scattering; ps range
• ISSN: 0946-2171; 1432-0649
• DOI: 10.1007/s00340-004-1455-0

PLEIADES is a compact, tunable, high-brightness, ultra-short-pulse, Thomson-scattering X-ray source. Picosecond pulses of hard X-rays (10--200 keV) are created by colliding an ultra-relativistic (20--100 MeV), picosecond-duration electron beam with a high-intensity, sub-picosecond, 800-nm laser pulse. Initial operation of this source has produced 78-keV X-rays with 10 photons per pulse using a 57-MeV, 0.3-nC, 50-{/content/CW7XV0QYE94GGNMR/xxlarge956.gif}m rms width electron beam and a 180-mJ, 15-{/content/CW7XV0QYE94GGNMR/xxlarge956.gif}m rms width laser pulse. The angular distribution, energy, and energy spectrum of the source are found to agree well with theory and simulations. Source optimization is expected to increase X-ray output to between 10 and 10 photons per pulse with a peak brightness approaching 10 photons/s/0.1% bandwidth/mm/mrad.