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Title: Thomson-Backscattered X Rays From Laser-Accelerated Electrons

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Institut fuer Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena (Germany)

We present the first observation of Thomson-backscattered light from laser-accelerated electrons. In a compact, all-optical setup, the ''photon collider,'' a high-intensity laser pulse is focused into a pulsed He gas jet and accelerates electrons to relativistic energies. A counterpropagating laser probe pulse is scattered from these high-energy electrons, and the backscattered x-ray photons are spectrally analyzed. This experiment demonstrates a novel source of directed ultrashort x-ray pulses and additionally allows for time-resolved spectroscopy of the laser acceleration of electrons.

OSTI ID:
20775014
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Vol. 96, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.014802; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English