Work

Bright X-Ray Source from a Laser-Driven Microplasma Waveguide

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Owing to the rapid progress in laser technology, very high-contrast femtosecond laser pulses of relativistic intensities have become available. These pulses allow for interaction with microstructured solid-density plasma without destroying the structure by parasitic prepulses. This opens a new realm of possibilities for laser interaction with micro- and nanoscale photonic materials at relativistic intensities. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, that when coupled with a readily available 1.8 J laser, a microplasma waveguide (MPW) may serve as a novel compact x-ray source. Electrons are extracted from the walls and form a dense helical bunch inside the channel. These electrons are efficiently accelerated and wiggled by the waveguide modes in the MPW, which results in a bright, well-collimated emission of hard x rays in the range of 1∼100 keV.

Source: Physical Review Letters

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.116.115001

Authors: Longqing Yi, Alexander Pukhov, Phuc Luu-Thanh, Baifei Shen

Institutions: Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Language: English

Topic: Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, National Natural Science Foundation of China

Awards: G4215989153, G5867489805, G6699967427