Compact, All-Optical Generation of Coherent X-Rays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016014874-A1
Application number	US-201514798599-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 14, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for generating coherent, polarized, and tunable X-rays using a single laser pulse is provided. An ultrashort laser pulse is fired into a plasma. As the laser beam travels through the plasma, some of its photons are backscattered, e.g., through Raman backscattering, to generate a counter-propagating photon beam that is co-linear with the original laser beam. When the backscattered photons interact with high-energy accelerated periodic electron bunches, coherent X-rays are generated through Compton backscattering of the photons off of the electrons. The energy of the backscattered X-rays can be tuned by tuning one or more characteristics of the laser pulse and/or the plasma.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for generating an emission of coherent X-rays, comprising:
firing a laser pulse into a gas jet, a power of the laser pulse being configured to produce a laser-generated plasma within the gas jet, the power of the laser pulse and a width of the gas jet being configured to produce a beam of high-energy laser-accelerated periodic electron bunches within the plasma, the beam of laser-accelerated periodic electron bunches being co-linear with and following behind the laser pulse as it travels through the gas jet; wherein a plurality of photons from the laser pulse is backscattered by the plasma to form a counter-propagating photon beam that is co-linear with the beam of periodic electron bunches in the plasma; wherein photons from the counter-propagating photon beam scatter off electrons from the electron bunches to generate a self-amplified coherent emission of X-rays.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein an energy of the laser pulse is tuned to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired energy.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a duration of the laser pulse is tuned to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired energy.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a polarization of the laser pulse is tuned to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired polarization.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a wavelength of the laser pulse is tuned to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired wavelength.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a length of a nozzle producing the gas jet is tuned to produce a desired length of an interaction distance for an interaction between the laser-accelerated periodic electron bunches and the counter-propagating photon beam so as to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired degree of coherence.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a height of a source of the laser pulse with respect to a nozzle producing the gas jet is tuned to produce a desired length of an interaction distance for an interaction between the laser-accelerated periodic electron bunches and the counter-propagating photon beam so as to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired degree of coherence.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a height of a source of the laser pulse with respect to a nozzle producing the gas jet is tuned to produce a desired density in the plasma so as to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired energy.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a shape of the laser pulse is configured to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired energy.

10 . A method for generating an emission of coherent X-rays, comprising:
firing a laser pulse into a plasma, the power of the laser pulse and a width of the laser pulse being configured to produce a beam of high-energy laser-accelerated periodic electron bunches within the plasma, the beam of laser-accelerated periodic electron bunches being co-linear with and following behind the laser pulse as it travels through the gas jet; wherein a plurality of photons from the laser pulse is backscattered by the plasma to form a counter-propagating photon beam that is co-linear with the beam of periodic electron bunches in the plasma; wherein photons from the counter-propagating photon beam scatter off electrons from the electron bunches to generate a self-amplified coherent emission of X-rays.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein an energy of the laser pulse is tuned to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired energy.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein a duration of the laser pulse is tuned to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired energy.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein a polarization of the laser pulse is tuned to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired polarization.

14 . The method according to claim 10 wherein a wavelength of the laser pulse is tuned to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired wavelength.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a width of the plasma is tuned to produce a desired length of an interaction distance for an interaction between the laser-accelerated periodic electron bunches and the counter-propagating photon beam so as to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired degree of coherence.

16 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein a density of the plasma is tuned so as to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired energy.

17 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein a shape of the laser pulse is configured to produce an emission of X-rays having a desired energy.

Assignees

• Kaganovich Dmitri
• Ting Antonio C
• Helle Michael H
• Gordon Daniel F
• Hafizi Bahman
• Palastro John
• Us Government

Inventors

• Kaganovich Dmitri
• Ting Antonio C
• Helle Michael H
• Gordon Daniel F
• Hafizi Bahman
• Palastro John

Classifications

• H05G2/0023 Primary

  Constructional details of the ejection system · CPC title

• H05G2/003

  the plasma being generated from a material in a liquid or gas state · CPC title

• H05G2/008 Primary

  involving an energy-carrying beam in the process of plasma generation · CPC title

• H01S4/00

  Devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in wave ranges other than those covered by groups H01S1/00, H01S3/00 or H01S5/00, e.g. phonon masers, X-ray lasers or gamma-ray lasers · CPC title