High-intensity laser synchrotron x-ray source
A laser interacting with a relativistic electron beam behaves like a virtual wiggler of an extremely short period equal to half of the laser wavelength. This approach opens a route to relatively compact, high-brightness x-ray sources alternative or complementary to conventional synchrotron light sources. Although not new, the Laser Synchrotron Light Source (LSLS) concept is still waiting for a convincing demonstration. Available at the BNL`s Accelerator Test Facility (ATF), a high-brightness electron beam and the high-power C0{sub 2} laser may be used as prototype LSLS brick stones. In a feasible demonstration experiment, 10-GW, 100-ps C0{sub 2} laser beam will be brought to a head-on collision with a 10-ps, 0.5-nC, 70 MeV electron bunch. Flashes of well-collimated, up to 9.36-keV ({approximately}{Angstrom}) x-rays of 10-ps pulse duration, with a flux of {approximately}10{sup 19} photons/sec will be produced via linear Compton backscattering. The x-ray spectrum is tunable proportionally to a variable e-beam energy. A natural short-term extension of the proposed experiment would be further enhancement of the x-ray flux to a 10{sup 21}{minus}10{sup 22} photons/sec level, after the ongoing ATF CO{sub 2} laser upgrade to 1 TW peak power and electron bunch shortening to 3 ps. The ATF LSLS x-ray beamline, exceeding by orders of magnitude the peak fluxes attained at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) x-ray storage ring, may become attractive for certain users, e.g., for biological x-ray microscopy. In addition, a terawatt CO{sub 2} laser will enable harmonic multiplication of the x-ray spectrum via nonlinear Compton scattering.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 197223
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-62447; ON: DE96003589; TRN: 96:008198
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Oct 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Prospects for compact high-intensity laser synchrotron x-ray and gamma sources
Prospects for compact high-intensity laser synchrotron x-ray and gamma sources