High-Power Laser Pulse Recirculation for Inverse Compton Scattering-Produced Gamma-Rays

Inverse Compton scattering of high-power laser pulses on relativistic electron bunches represents an attractive method for high-brightness, quasi-monoenergetic {gamma}-ray production. The efficiency of {gamma}-ray generation via inverse Compton scattering is severely constrained by the small Thomson scattering cross section. Furthermore, repetition rates of high-energy short-pulse lasers are poorly matched with those available from electron accelerators, resulting in low repetition rates for generated {gamma}-rays. Laser recirculation has been proposed as a method to address those limitations, but has been limited to only small pulse energies and peak powers. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate an alternative method for laser pulse recirculation that is uniquely capable of recirculating short pulses with energies exceeding 1 J. Inverse Compton scattering of recirculated Joule-level laser pulses has a potential to produce unprecedented peak and average {gamma}-ray brightness in the next generation of sources

Coherent control of laserinduced breakdown

We demonstrate coherent control of laser-induced optical breakdown in Ar and Xe with a femtosecond timescale pulse train. By using a genetic algorithm to set the relative phases of seven optical sidebands that span two octaves of bandwidth, we enhance or suppress the probability of breakdown, vary the onset time of the spark, and to some extent, vary the position of the spark and the timing of the laser-produced shock wave

Nuclear Photo-Science and Applications with T-REX Sources

Slides from a presentation about the use of Thomson-Radiated Extreme X-ray (T-REX) sources for x-ray imaging and other applications

High Power Picosecond Laser Pulse Recirculation

We propose a novel high peak power ultrashort laser pulse re-circulation technique suitable for gamma-ray generation in Compton-backscattering sources. The two primary obstacles to higher average brightness and conversion efficiency of laser pulse energy to gamma-rays are the relatively small Compton scattering cross-section and the typically low repetition rates of Joule-class interaction lasers (10 Hz). Only a very small fraction (10{sup -10}) of the available laser photons is converted to gamma-rays, while the bulk is discarded. To significantly reduce the average power requirements of the laser and increase the overall system efficiency, we can re-circulate laser light for repeated interactions

Optimal Design of a Tunable Thomson-Scattering Based Gamma-Ray Source

Thomson-Scattering based systems offer a path to high-brightness high-energy (> 1 MeV) x-ray and {gamma}-ray sources due to their favorable scaling with electron energy. LLNL is currently engaged in an effort to optimize such a device, dubbed the ''Thomson-Radiated Extreme X-Ray'' (T-REX) source, targeting up to 680 keV photon energy. Such a system requires precise design of the interaction between a high-intensity laser pulse and a high-brightness electron beam. Presented here are the optimal design parameters for such an interaction, including factors such as the collision angle, focal spot size, optimal bunch charge, and laser energy. These parameters were chosen based on extensive modeling using PARMELA and in-house, well-benchmarked scattering simulation codes

COMMISSIONING OF A HIGH-BRIGHTNESS PHOTOINJECTOR FOR COMPTON SCATTERING X-RAY SOURCES

Compton scattering of intense laser pulses with ultrarelativistic electron beams has proven to be an attractive source of high-brightness x-rays with keV to MeV energies. This type of x-ray source requires the electron beam brightness to be comparable with that used in x-ray free-electron lasers and laser and plasma based advanced accelerators. We describe the development and commissioning of a 1.6 cell RF photoinjector for use in Compton scattering experiments at LLNL. Injector development issues such as RF cavity design, beam dynamics simulations, emittance diagnostic development, results of sputtered magnesium photo-cathode experiments, and UV laser pulse shaping are discussed. Initial operation of the photoinjector is described

GAMMA-RAY COMPTON LIGHT SOURCE DEVELOPMENT AT LLNL

A new class of tunable, monochromatic {gamma}-ray sources capable of operating at high peak and average brightness is currently being developed at LLNL for nuclear photoscience and applications. These novel systems are based on Compton scattering of laser photons by a high brightness relativistic electron beam produced by an rf photoinjector. A prototype, capable of producing > 10{sup 8} 0.7 MeV photons in a single shot, with a fractional bandwidth of 1%, and a repetition rate of 10 Hz, is currently under construction at LLNL; this system will be used to perform nuclear resonance fluorescence experiments. A new symmetrized S-band rf gun, using a Mg photocathode, will produce up to 1 nC of charge in an 8 ps bunch, with a normalized emittance modeled at 0.8 mm.mrad; electrons are subsequently accelerated up to 120 MeV to interact with a 500 mJ, 10 ps, 355 nm laser pulse and generate {gamma}-rays. The laser front end is a fiber-based system, using corrugated-fiber Bragg gratings for stretching, and drives both the frequency-quadrupled photocathode illumination laser and the Nd:YAG interaction laser. Two new technologies are used in the laser: a hyper-Michelson temporal pulse stacker capable of producing 8 ps square UV pulses, and a hyper-dispersion compressor for the interaction laser. Other key technologies, basic scaling laws, and recent experimental results will also be presented, along with an overview of future research and development directions

Fiber-Based, Spatially and Temporally Shaped Picosecond UV Laser for Advanced RF Gun Applications

The fiber-based, spatially and temporally shaped, picosecond UV laser system described here has been specifically designed for advanced rf gun applications, with a special emphasis on the production of high-brightness electron beams for free-electron lasers and Compton scattering light sources. The laser pulse can be shaped to a flat-top in both space and time with a duration of 10 ps at full width of half-maximum (FWHM) and rise and fall times under 1 ps. The expected pulse energy is 50 {micro}J at 261.75 nm and the spot size diameter of the beam at the photocathode is 2 mm. A fiber oscillator and amplifier system generates a chirped pump pulse at 1047 nm; stretching is achieved in a chirped fiber Bragg grating. A single multi-layer dielectric grating based compressor recompresses the input pulse to 250 fs FWHM and a two stage harmonic converter frequency quadruples the beam. Temporal shaping is achieved with a Michelson-based ultrafast pulse stacking device with nearly 100% throughput. Spatial shaping is achieved by truncating the beam at the 20% energy level with an iris and relay-imaging the resulting beam profile onto the photocathode. The integration of the system, as well as preliminary laser measurements will be presented

High-energy Picosecond Laser Pulse Recirculation for Compton Scattering

Frequency upconversion of laser-generated photons by inverse Compton scattering for applications such as nuclear spectroscopy and gamma-gamma collider concepts on the future ILC would benefit from an increase of average source brightness. The primary obstacle to higher average brightness is the relatively small Thomson scattering cross section. It has been proposed that this limitation can be partially overcome by use of laser pulse recirculation. The traditional approach to laser recirculation entails resonant coupling of low-energy pulse train to a cavity through a partially reflective mirror. Here we present an alternative, passive approach that is akin to 'burst-mode' operation and does not require interferometric alignment accuracy. Injection of a short and energetic laser pulse is achieved by placing a thin frequency converter, such as a nonlinear optical crystal, into the cavity in the path of the incident laser pulse. This method leads to the increase of x-ray/gamma-ray energy proportional to the increase in photon energy in frequency conversion. Furthermore, frequency tunability can be achieved by utilizing parametric amplifier in place of the frequency converter