Intense gamma-ray source based on focused electron beams from a laser wakefield accelerator
Abstract
Laser wakefield accelerators generate ultrashort electron bunches with the capability to produce γ-rays. Here, we produce focused laser wakefield acceleration electron beams using three quadrupole magnets. Electron beams are then focused into a 3 mm lead converter to generate intense, focused bremsstrahlung γ beams. Experimental results demonstrate the generation and propagation of focused γ beams to a best focus spot size of 2.3 ± 0.1 × 2.7 ± 0.2 mm2 using a copper stack calorimeter. Monte Carlo simulations conducted using GEANT4 are in good agreement with experimental results and enable detailed examination of γ-ray generation. Simulations indicate that the focused γ beams contained 2.6 × 109 photons in the range of 100 keV to 33 MeV with an average energy of 6.4 MeV. A γ-ray intensity of 7 × 1010 W/cm2 was estimated from simulations. In conclusion, the generation of focused bremsstrahlung γ-ray sources can have important applications in medical imaging applications and laboratory astrophysics experiments.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[3];
[3];
[3];
[2];
[3];
- Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (Canada)
- Queen's Univ., Belfast, Northern Ireland (United Kingdom)
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); National Science Foundation (NSF); Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1979100
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1874517
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0022109; RGPIN-2021-04373; 2108075; EP/N027175/1; EP/N022696/1; DESC0022109
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Applied Physics Letters
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 120; Journal Issue: 26; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; physics
Citation Formats
Senthilkumaran, Vigneshvar, Bailie, David, Behm, Keegan, Warwick, Jonathan, Samarin, Guillermo M., Maksimchuk, Anatoly, Nees, John A., Thomas, Alexander George Roy, Sarri, Gianluca, Krushelnick, Karl, and Hussein, Amina E. Intense gamma-ray source based on focused electron beams from a laser wakefield accelerator. United States: N. p., 2022.
Web. doi:10.1063/5.0095576.
Senthilkumaran, Vigneshvar, Bailie, David, Behm, Keegan, Warwick, Jonathan, Samarin, Guillermo M., Maksimchuk, Anatoly, Nees, John A., Thomas, Alexander George Roy, Sarri, Gianluca, Krushelnick, Karl, & Hussein, Amina E. Intense gamma-ray source based on focused electron beams from a laser wakefield accelerator. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0095576
Senthilkumaran, Vigneshvar, Bailie, David, Behm, Keegan, Warwick, Jonathan, Samarin, Guillermo M., Maksimchuk, Anatoly, Nees, John A., Thomas, Alexander George Roy, Sarri, Gianluca, Krushelnick, Karl, and Hussein, Amina E. Thu .
"Intense gamma-ray source based on focused electron beams from a laser wakefield accelerator". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0095576. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1979100.
@article{osti_1979100,
title = {Intense gamma-ray source based on focused electron beams from a laser wakefield accelerator},
author = {Senthilkumaran, Vigneshvar and Bailie, David and Behm, Keegan and Warwick, Jonathan and Samarin, Guillermo M. and Maksimchuk, Anatoly and Nees, John A. and Thomas, Alexander George Roy and Sarri, Gianluca and Krushelnick, Karl and Hussein, Amina E.},
abstractNote = {Laser wakefield accelerators generate ultrashort electron bunches with the capability to produce γ-rays. Here, we produce focused laser wakefield acceleration electron beams using three quadrupole magnets. Electron beams are then focused into a 3 mm lead converter to generate intense, focused bremsstrahlung γ beams. Experimental results demonstrate the generation and propagation of focused γ beams to a best focus spot size of 2.3 ± 0.1 × 2.7 ± 0.2 mm2 using a copper stack calorimeter. Monte Carlo simulations conducted using GEANT4 are in good agreement with experimental results and enable detailed examination of γ-ray generation. Simulations indicate that the focused γ beams contained 2.6 × 109 photons in the range of 100 keV to 33 MeV with an average energy of 6.4 MeV. A γ-ray intensity of 7 × 1010 W/cm2 was estimated from simulations. In conclusion, the generation of focused bremsstrahlung γ-ray sources can have important applications in medical imaging applications and laboratory astrophysics experiments.},
doi = {10.1063/5.0095576},
journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
number = 26,
volume = 120,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2022},
month = {Thu Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2022}
}
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