MeV-Energy X Rays from Inverse Compton Scattering with Laser-Wakefield Accelerated Electrons

Abstract

Ghebregziabher, I.; Maharjan, C.; Liu, Cheng; Golovin, Grigory V.; Banerjee, Sudeep; Zhang, J.; Cunningham, N.; Moorti, A.; Clarke, S.; and Pozzi, Sara, "MeV-Energy X Rays from Inverse Compton Scattering with Laser-Wakefield Accelerated Electrons" (2013). Donald Umstadter Publications. 87.

Standoff detection of hidden objects using backscattered ultra-intense laser-produced x-rays

“…To realize a compact collimated pencil X-ray source, one possibility is inverse Compton scattering from a laser-driven electron. [19][20][21][22] For example, when electrons with an energy of 150 MeV (Lorentz factor c of 300) scatter a counter-propagating laser with a wavelength of 0.8 lm (corresponding photon energy L of 1.6 eV), the resulting inverse Compton scattering light has a divergence of 1=c $ 3:3 mrad and an energy of 4c 2 L $ 558 keV. By using the proposed inverse Compton scattering light as a primary X-ray source, the attenuation of the primary X-ray can be maintained at 5% at a distance of 10 m. This level of attenuation is expected to be trivial in practical applications.…”

Shielded radiography with a laser-driven MeV-energy X-ray source

“…However, application of ICS sources based on conventional electron accelerators is limited by their large size [14,15]. The recently developed laser-wakefield-accel-erator-driven inverse-Compton-scattering (LWFA-ICS) source overcomes all of these limitations by using a 1000 times higher acceleration gradient of a plasma wakefield compared with conventional RF technology, and provides a compact X-ray source with well-collimated (mrad), narrowband (ΔE/E ~ 0.5), and tunable (from 1 to 9 MeV) beams [16][17][18][19].…”

Precision requirement of the photofission cross section for the nondestructive assay

“…Recently, the development of the compact and quasimonochromatic photon (X-ray) source generator has proceeded, which is expected to be realized as portable photon generator device with higher energy than the photonuclear threshold energy [11][12][13][14]. Its application is expected to be one of the NDA techniques.…”