X-ray phase contrast imaging of biological specimens with tabletop synchrotron radiation

Since their discovery in 1896, x-rays have had a profound impact on science, medicine and technology. Here we show that the x-rays from a novel tabletop source of bright coherent synchrotron radiation can be applied to phase contrast imaging of biological specimens, yielding superior image quality and avoiding the need for scarce or expensive conventional sources

A Bright Spatially-Coherent Compact X-ray Synchrotron Source

Each successive generation of x-ray machines has opened up new frontiers in science, such as the first radiographs and the determination of the structure of DNA. State-of-the-art x-ray sources can now produce coherent high brightness keV x-rays and promise a new revolution in imaging complex systems on nanometre and femtosecond scales. Despite the demand, only a few dedicated synchrotron facilities exist worldwide, partially due the size and cost of conventional (accelerator) technology. Here we demonstrate the use of a recently developed compact laser-plasma accelerator to produce a well-collimated, spatially-coherent, intrinsically ultrafast source of hard x-rays. This method reduces the size of the synchrotron source from the tens of metres to centimetre scale, accelerating and wiggling a high electron charge simultaneously. This leads to a narrow-energy spread electron beam and x-ray source that is >1000 times brighter than previously reported plasma wiggler and thus has the potential to facilitate a myriad of uses across the whole spectrum of light-source applications.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Photonuclear fission with quasimonoenergetic electron beams from laser wakefields

Recent advancements in laser wakefield accelerators have resulted in the generation of low divergence, hundred MeV, quasimonoenergetic electron beams. The bremsstrahlung produced by these highly energetic electrons in heavy converters includes a large number of MeV γγ rays that have been utilized to induce photofission in natural uranium. Analysis of the measured delayed γγ emission demonstrates production of greater than 3×1053×105 fission events per joule of laser energy, which is more than an order of magnitude greater than that previously achieved. Monte Carlo simulations model the generated bremsstrahlung spectrum and compare photofission yields as a function of target depth and incident electron energy.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87815/2/231107_1.pd

Control of proton energy in ultra-high intensity laser-matter interaction

Recent breakthroughs in short pulse laser technology resulted in (i) generation of ultra-high intensity (2×1022 W/cm2) and (ii) ultra-high contrast (10−11) short pulses at the Hercules facility of the University of Michigan, which has created the possibility of exploring a new regime of ion acceleration – the regime of Directed Coulomb Explosion (DCE). In this regime of sufficiently high laser intensities and target thicknesses approaching the relativistic plasma skin depth it is possible to expel electrons from the target focal volume by the laser's ponderomotive force allowing for direct laser ion acceleration combined with a Coulomb explosion. That results in greater than 100 MeV protons with a quasi-monoenergetic energy spectrum. The utilization of beam shaping, namely, the use of flat-top beams, leads to more efficient proton acceleration due to the increase of the longitudinal field. According to the results of 2D PIC simulations a 500 TW laser pulse with a super-Gaussian beam profile interacting with 0.1 micron aluminium-hydrogen foil is able to produce monoenergetic protons with the energy up to 240 MeV.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/85403/1/jpconf10_244_042025.pd

Characterization of focal field formed by a large numerical aperture paraboloidal mirror and generation of ultra-high intensity (10 22 W/cm 2 )

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47052/1/340_2005_Article_1925.pd

Synchrotron x-ray radiation from laser wakefield accelerated electron beams in a plasma channel

Synchrotron x-ray radiation from laser wakefield accelerated electron beams was characterized at the HERCULES facility of the University of Michigan. A mono-energetic electron beam with energy up to 400 MeV was observed in the interaction of an ultra-short laser pulse with a super-sonic gas jet target. The experiments were performed at a peak intensity of 5×1019 W/cm2 by using an adaptive optic. The accelerated electron beam undergoes a so called "betatron" oscillation in an ion channel, where plasma electrons have been expelled by the laser ponderomotive force, and, therefore, emits synchrotron radiation. We observe broad synchrotron x-ray radiation extending up to 30 keV. We find that this radiation is emitted in a beam with a divergence angle as small as 12×4 mrad2 and can have a source size smaller than 3 microns and a peak brightness of 1022 photons/mm2/mrad2/second/0.1% bandwidth, which is comparable to currently existing 3rd generation conventional light sources. This opens up the possibility of using laser-produced "betatron" sources for many applications that currently require conventional synchrotron sources.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/85402/1/jpconf10_244_042026.pd

Characterization of focal field formed by a large numerical aperture paraboloidal mirror and generation of ultra-high intensity (10 22 W/cm 2 )

We describe a method to measure the aberrations of a high numerical aperture off-axis paraboloid and correct for the aberrations using adaptive optics. It is then shown that the characterized aberrations can be used to accurately calculate the electromagnetic field at the focus using the Stratton–Chu vector diffraction theory. Using this methodology, an intensity of 7×10 21 W/cm 2 was demonstrated by focusing a 45-TW laser beam with an f /0.6, 90 ∘ off-axis paraboloid after correcting the aberrations of the paraboloid and the low-energy reference beam. The intensity can be further increased to 1×10 22 W/cm 2 by including in the correction algorithm the wavefront difference between the reference beam and the high-energy beam.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47049/1/340_2005_Article_1803.pd

Generation and characterization of quasi-monoenergetic electron beams from laser wakefield

In the interaction of a 30 fs, 40 TW Ti:sapphire Hercules laser focused to the intensity of 10$^{19}$ W/cm$^{2 }$onto a supersonic He gas jet, we observed quasi-monoenergetic electron beams with energy up to 300 MeV and an angular divergence of 10 mrad. We found that the initial plasma density significantly affects the resultant electron beam. For plasma densities ranging between 2 $\times$ 10$^{19}$ to 3.5 $\times$ 10$^{19}$ cm$^{ - 3}$, quasi-monoenergetic electrons with energies from 80 to 160 MeV and a total charge of about 0.5 nC were produced. Lower plasma densities around 1.5 $\times$ 10$^{19 }$cm$^{ - 3}$ produced quasi-monoenergetic electron beams with higher energy, up to 320 $\pm$ 50 MeV, but with a decrease of the total charge to about 5 pC. Characterization of the electron beam in terms of the electron's maximum energy, beam divergence and pointing stability is presented. The performed 2D PIC simulations show the evolution of the laser pulse in the plasma, electron injection, and the specifics of electron acceleration