In this work we present a modification to conventional X-rays fluorescence using electrons as excitation source, and compare it with the traditional X-ray excitation for the study of pigments. For this purpose we have constructed a laser-based source capable to produce X-rays as well as electrons. Because of the large penetration depth of X-rays, the collected fluorescence signal is a combination of several material layers of the artwork under study. However electrons are stopped in the first layers allowing therefore a more superficial analysis. We show that the combination of both excitation sources can provide extremely valuable information about the structure of the artwork.
We present temporal information obtained by mass spectrometry techniques about the evolution of plasmas generated by laser filamentation in air. The experimental setup used in this work allowed us to study not only the dynamics of the filament core but also of the energy reservoir that surrounds it. Furthermore, valuable insights about the chemistry of such systems like the photofragmentation and/or formation of molecules were obtained. The interpretation of the experimental results are supported by PIC (particle in cell) simulations.
In this paper we describe a procedure for calibration of Bragg crystals used for X-ray spectroscopy of laser plasmas. The method uses a relatively inexpensive commercially available X-ray source. By using the source to pump a metallic foil such as vanadium or titanium we were able to create a K-α emission source with minimal background radiation outside the desired photon energy. By using photon counting techniques with a CCD detector we were able to get absolute calibrations of curved and flat Bragg crystals in the 4-5 keV region. An important advantage of our method is that absolute calibration was not necessary either for the commercial source or the detector. K : X-ray generators and sources, Bragg crystals 1Corresponding author.
Laser-based sources of ionizing radiation have attracted a considerable attention in the last years for their broad potential applications. However the stability and robustness of such sources is still an issue that needs to be addressed. Aiming to solve such problems, we propose a source that uses a liquid jet -rather than a solid-as a target for the production of X-rays. Liquid jets offer always a clean surface for every laser shot which represent a clear advantage over solids. In this work, we present an experimental characterization of the X-ray emission of such targets, and study the efficiency of the process when two temporally delayed pulses are used. According to the obtained results, the X-ray yield is comparable with commonly used targets.
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