Enhancement of laser-driven betatron x-rays by a density-depressed plasma structure

Guo, Bo; Cheng, Zhi; Liu, Shuang; Ning, Xiao Nan; Zhang, Jie; Pai, Chih-Hao; Hua, Jianfei; Chu, Hsu-Hsin; Wang, Jyhpyng; Lü, Wei

doi:10.1088/1361-6587/aaf613

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 48 publications

(57 reference statements)

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“…In the experiment, a clear PCI image was obtained within 1 minute at a repetition rate of ∼0.3 Hz (30 s for the butterfly, 60 s for the fish), with a photon number of 1.1 × 10 7 per shot. This data acquisition time can be significantly reduced in future experiments by a factor of 10–300, through single shot photon number enhancement (10 times enhancement under similar conditions has been recently demonstrated 39 ) and repetition rate increasing to 1 Hz 40 to 10 Hz. For comparison with a typical microfocus X-ray tube of constant flux (source size 5 µ m, photon flux ∼2 × 10 4 mrad −2 s −1 ) 41 , a continuous exposure time of 1 minute is needed to get an image with similar quality.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-resolution phase-contrast imaging of biological specimens using a stable betatron X-ray source in the multiple-exposure mode

Guo

Zhang

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Phase-contrast imaging using X-ray sources with high spatial coherence is an emerging tool in biology and material science. Much of this research is being done using large synchrotron facilities or relatively low-flux microfocus X-ray tubes. An alternative high-flux, ultra-short and high-spatial-coherence table-top X-ray source based on betatron motions of electrons in laser wakefield accelerators has the promise to produce high quality images. In previous phase-contrast imaging studies with betatron sources, single-exposure images with a spatial resolution of 6–70 μ m were reported by using large-scale laser systems (60–200 TW). Furthermore, images obtained with multiple exposures tended to have a reduced contrast and resolution due to the shot-to-shot fluctuations. In this article, we demonstrate that a highly stable multiple-exposure betatron source, with an effective average source size of 5 μ m, photon number and pointing jitters of <5% and spectral fluctuation of <10%, can be obtained by utilizing ionization injection in pure nitrogen plasma using a 30–40 TW laser. Using this source, high quality phase-contrast images of biological specimens with a 5- μ m resolution are obtained for the first time. This work shows a way for the application of high resolution phase-contrast imaging with stable betatron sources using modest power, high repetition-rate lasers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-resolution phase-contrast imaging of biological specimens using a stable betatron X-ray source in the multiple-exposure mode

Guo

Zhang

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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“…The quasi-constant electron energy and coherent oscillations over a large distance can be seen in example trajectories of 1429 macro particles picked from a region near the front of the electron bunch (Figure 4k). Due to the lower bubble fields during the density depression at the center of the M-jet, the electron beam experiences a transverse expansion and a small increase in the betatron oscillation amplitude around 3.5 -5 mm 20,34 . However, this is not the main cause of the large-amplitude oscillations and enhanced betatron emission.…”

Section: A M-jetmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An increase in photon flux has been shown by using lasers with a high pulse energy [15][16][17] . A higher conversion efficiency has been demonstrated by using clustered gas targets 18 and the transverse deflection of the injected and accelerated electron beam through transversally offsetting the accelerating plasma structure by laser-electron-beam interactions 19 or a modulated gas density profile 20,21 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transverse Oscillating Bubble Enhanced Laser-driven Betatron X-ray Radiation Generation

Rakowski¹,

Zhang²,

Jensen³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Ultrafast high-brightness X-ray pulses have proven invaluable for a broad range of research. Such pulses are typically generated via synchrotron emission from relativistic electron bunches using large-scale facilities. Recently, significantly more compact X-ray sources based on laser-wakefield accelerated (LWFA) electron beams have been demonstrated. In particular, laser-driven sources, where the radiation is generated by transverse oscillations of electrons within the plasma accelerator structure (so-called betatron oscillations) can generate highly-brilliant ultrashort X-ray pulses using a comparably simple setup. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a method to markedly enhance and control the parameters of LWFA-driven betatron X-ray emission. With our novel Transverse Oscillating Bubble Enhanced Betatron Radiation (TOBER) scheme, we show a significant increase in the number of generated photons by specifically manipulating the amplitude of the betatron oscillations. We realize this through an orchestrated evolution of the temporal laser pulse shape and the accelerating plasma structure. This leads to controlled off-axis injection of electrons that perform large-amplitude collective transverse betatron oscillations, resulting in increased radiation emission. Our concept holds the promise for a method to optimize the X-ray parameters for specific applications, such as time-resolved investigations with spatial and temporal atomic resolution or advanced high-resolution imaging modalities, and the generation of X-ray beams with even higher peak and average brightness.

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“…An increase in photon flux has been shown by using lasers with a high pulse energy 15 – 17 . A higher conversion efficiency has been demonstrated by using clustered gas targets 18 and the transverse deflection of the injected and accelerated electron beam through transversally offsetting the accelerating plasma structure by laser-electron-beam interactions 19 or a modulated gas density profile 20 , 21 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We were able to significantly enhance the generated number of X-ray photons when compared directly to targets with a flat-top density profile under identical laser conditions. In our concept, the coherent oscillations are initiated close to the gas jet entrance, unlike other methods where increased betatron oscillation amplitudes are achieved by manipulating the already injected and accelerated electron beam well into the gas jet 20 , 21 or near the gas jet exit 19 . This enables the control of multiple degrees of freedom and the potential for additional significant enhancement through emission from many more betatron oscillation periods, further increasing the X-ray brightness and laser-to-X-ray conversion efficiency.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transverse oscillating bubble enhanced laser-driven betatron X-ray radiation generation

Rakowski

Zhang

Jensen

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ultrafast high-brightness X-ray pulses have proven invaluable for a broad range of research. Such pulses are typically generated via synchrotron emission from relativistic electron bunches using large-scale facilities. Recently, significantly more compact X-ray sources based on laser-wakefield accelerated (LWFA) electron beams have been demonstrated. In particular, laser-driven sources, where the radiation is generated by transverse oscillations of electrons within the plasma accelerator structure (so-called betatron oscillations) can generate highly-brilliant ultrashort X-ray pulses using a comparably simple setup. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a method to markedly enhance the parameters of LWFA-driven betatron X-ray emission in a proof-of-principle experiment. We show a significant increase in the number of generated photons by specifically manipulating the amplitude of the betatron oscillations by using our novel Transverse Oscillating Bubble Enhanced Betatron Radiation scheme. We realize this through an orchestrated evolution of the temporal laser pulse shape and the accelerating plasma structure. This leads to controlled off-axis injection of electrons that perform large-amplitude collective transverse betatron oscillations, resulting in increased radiation emission. Our concept holds the promise for a method to optimize the X-ray parameters for specific applications, such as time-resolved investigations with spatial and temporal atomic resolution or advanced high-resolution imaging modalities, and the generation of X-ray beams with even higher peak and average brightness.

show abstract

Enhancement of laser-driven betatron x-rays by a density-depressed plasma structure

Cited by 7 publications

References 48 publications

High-resolution phase-contrast imaging of biological specimens using a stable betatron X-ray source in the multiple-exposure mode

High-resolution phase-contrast imaging of biological specimens using a stable betatron X-ray source in the multiple-exposure mode

Transverse Oscillating Bubble Enhanced Laser-driven Betatron X-ray Radiation Generation

Transverse oscillating bubble enhanced laser-driven betatron X-ray radiation generation

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