We report advances in the development of a robust, laser-driven X-ray source. An ultrafast, high-average-power laser driver (1 kHz, 25 mJ, 1.5 ps) allows us to reach sufficient X-ray photon flux to demonstrate the source performance in a realistic imaging application by realizing a complete tomographic sequence in under-15min exposure time, edging toward clinical imaging relevance. This kind of compact, high-brilliance, hard X-ray source holds promise to unlock the development of practical phase-contrast medical imaging.
X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) radiation may transform diamond into graphite. Two X-ray pulses were used; the first as pump to trigger the phase transition and the second as probe performing X-ray diffraction. The experiment was performed at the SACLA XFEL facility at the beamline 3 experimental hutch 5. The samples were polycrystalline diamond. The pump and probe photon energies were 7 and 10.5 keV, respectively, and the delay between the X-ray pulses was varied from 0 to 286 fs. To provide a range of energy densities, the X-ray focus was adjusted between 150 nm and 1 um. The (111), (220) and (311) diffraction peaks were observed. The intensity of each diffraction peak decreased with time indicating a disordering of the crystal lattice. From a Debye-Waller analysis, the root-mean-square (rms) atomic displacement perpendicular to particular lattice planes are calculated. At higher fluences, the rms atomic displacement perpendicular to the (111) planes is significantly larger than that perpendicular to the (220) or (311) planes. By accepting two successive XFEL pulses at a time delay of 33 ms, graphite (002) diffraction was observed beginning at a threshold dose of 1.7 eV/atom. The experimental results will be compared with calculations using a hybrid model based on tight-binding molecular dynamics.
We present on a X-ray Plasma Source driven by an ultrafast laser delivering 25 mJ, 1.7 ps at 100 Hz. This source emitted at 17 keV from a 20x33 μm2 spot, particularly adapted to phase contrast imaging for mammography.
Betatron radiation from laser-plasma accelerators reproduces the principle of a synchrotron on a millimeter scale, but featuring femtosecond duration. Here we present the outcome of our latest developments, which now allow us to produce stable and polarized X-ray bursts. Moreover, the X-ray polarization can simply be adjusted by tuning the polarization of the laser driving the process. The excellent stability of the source is expressed in terms of pointing, flux, transverse distribution and critical energy of the spectrum. These combined features make our betatron source particularly suitable for applications in ultrafast X-ray science.
In this presentation we will describe the generation process, relying on the ionization injection scheme for laser-plasma acceleration. We will show experimental measurements, numerical results and first applications in time-resolved spectroscopy.
Solid material damaging induced by an intense and short electromagnetic pulse is accompanied by structural modifications, such as solid/solid phase transition, solid/liquid phase transition or ablation. In such an interaction, the energy is mainly absorbed by electrons, and then transferred to the lattice over a 1 − 10 ps time scale. Such out-of-equilibrium physics is the subject of intense experimental and theoretical work, rising fundamental questions about the thermal or non-thermal nature of phase transitions, the softening or hardening of chemical bonds, and the competition between thermal ablation and coulomb explosion. Here, an experimental technique based on pump-probe interfero-polarimetry in reflection, is presented. It allows us to measure the reflectivity and phase shift of an optical probe reflecting on the sample, in both P and S polarization directions, with a sub-100 fs time resolution. The accuracies on phase shift and on reflectivity are 10 mrad and 1%, respectively. These quantities depend on both the sample optical properties (dielectric function) and the heated sample hydrodynamics. Careful comparison of signals in P and S polarizations allows us to distinguish between optical properties and hydrodynamics contributions. Optical properties give information about the dynamics of the electron properties which drive the damage formation, while the hydrodynamic contribution includes sample surface motion and modofication of the electron density profile, at the nanometer scale. This interfero-polarimetry technique was employed to study damage on aluminum induced by an infrared ultrashort laser pulse (800 nm, 30 fs, 1 J:cm-2)
L. Volpe, D. Batani, B. Vauzour, Ph. Nicolai, J. Santos, F. Dorchies, C. Fourment, S. Hulin, C. Regan, F. Perez, S. Baton, M. Koenig, K. Lancaster, M. Galimberti, R. Heathcote, M. Tolley, Ch. Spindloe, P. Koester, L. Labate, L. Gizzi, C. Benedetti, A. Sgattoni, M. Richetta
Generation of high intensity and well collimated multi energetic proton beams from laser-matter
interaction extend the possibility to use protons as a diagnostic to image imploding target in Inertial
Confinement Fusion experiments. An experiment was done at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
(Vulcan Laser Petawatt laser) to study fast electron propagation in cylindrically compressed targets,
a subject of interest for fast ignition. This was performed in the framework of the experimental road
map of HiPER (the European High Power laser Energy Research facility Project). In the experiment,
protons accelerated by a ps-laser pulse were used to radiograph a 220 m diameter cylinder (20 m wall,
filled with low density foam), imploded with 200 J of green laser light in 4 symmetrically incident
beams of pulse length 1 ns. Point projection proton backlighting was used to get the compression
history and the stagnation time. Detailed comparison with 2D numerical hydro simulations has
been done using a Monte Carlo code adapted to describe multiple scattering and plasma effects
and with those from hard X-ray radiography. These analysis shows that due to the very large mass
densities reached during implosion processes, protons traveling through the target undergo a very large
number of collisions which deviate protons from their original trajectory reducing proton radiography
resolution. Here we present a simple analytical model to study the proton radiography diagnostic
performance as a function of the main experimental parameters such as proton beam energy and target
areal density. This approach leads to define two different criteria for PR resolution (called "strong"
and "weak" condition) describing different experimental conditions. Finally numerical simulations
using both hydrodynamic and Monte Carlo codes are presented to validate analytical predictions.
Interaction of femtosecond (30 fs-5 ps) and intense (up to 1017 W/cm2) laser pulses with Ar clusters (180 to 350 Å radius) has been studied. The laser absorption and the cluster heating have been measured using different diagnostics,
demonstrating the production of very hot and dense plasmas, in the keV range. A special attention has been devoted to the K-shell x-ray emission spectra (2.9-3.3 keV). X-ray emission has been observed from ions in very high charge states (Ar16+). Time-resolved measurements have been performed, giving evidence, for the first time, of extremely short x-ray pulses down to the sub-picosecond. Simulations based on both an hydrodynamic model and collisional-radiative atomic physics reveal an extremely brief x-ray emission burst consistent with measurements.
Rare gas cluster jets are an intermediate medium between solid and gas targets. Laser-cluster jets interaction may generate a great number of energetic particles such as X-rays, UV, high harmonics, ions, electrons and neutrons. To understand all the mechanisms involved in this interaction we need to make a complete study of individual cluster response to an ultra-short laser pulse. We studied the laser interaction with our Argon cluster gas jet, which is well characterized in cluster size and density, to enlarge the knowledge of this interaction. We measured absorption, heating and X-ray emission spectra versus laser parameters and clusters size (~15-30 nm). We show that there is a strong refraction effect on laser propagation due to the residual gas density. This effect was confirmed by laser propagation simulation with a cylindrical 2D particle code WAKE. The role played by refraction was to limit maximum laser intensity on the focal spot and to increase interaction volume. By this way, X-ray emission was observed with laser intensity not so far from the ionization threshold (few 1014 W.cm-2). We also studied plasma expansion both at cluster scale and focal volume scale and deduced the deposited energy distribution as a function of time. Thanks to a simple hydrodynamic model, we used these results to study cluster expansion. X-ray emission is then simulated by TRANSPEC code in order to reproduce X-ray spectra and duration. Those results revealed an extremely brief X-ray emission consistent with a preliminary measure by streak camera (~ps).
We present the characterization of an ultrafast x-ray streak camera based on a new bilamellar x-ray tube. This camera, named FX1, has been tested in static (imaging) and dynamic (sweep) mode with several continuous and pulsed sub-picosecond UV and X-ray sources. The FX1 camera was designed to overcome some limitations observed with the PX1 camera which has been used previously at INRS to achieve high resolution sub-picosecond time resolved spectroscopy of ultrafast laser produced plasmas. Line Spread Function measurements indicated a strong improvement of the static image contribution to the temporal resolution compared to the PX1 camera performances [Rev. Sci. Instr. 71, 3627, 2000]. Furthermore a much higher dc extraction field can now be sustained at the photocathode-acceleration slit region. The FX1 camera has been successfully operated in various experimental conditions. An upper limit of the temporal response of the FX1 has been measured in the keV x-ray range in single shot mode with a laser-based x-ray source (2keV) having a duration (FWHM) of 1.4 ps. The FX1 camera has also been coupled to photoconductive switches and testesd in accumulation mode [Rev. Sci. Instr. 73, 1617, 2002] with VUV light produced with the 1 kHz Ti:sapphire laser of the CELIA. A newly assembled test-bench is now currently used at INRS for the characterisation of streak cameras in both single-shot and accumulation mode with the 10Hz Ti:sapphire laser of INRS.
Multi-keV X-ray source from intense laser-cluster interaction was experimentally studied. A special effort was first made in order to characterize the cluster target. K-shell emission of Argon clusters (around 3 keV) was then studied when irradiated by kHz, 30 fs, 1017 W.cm-2 laser pulses. High-resolution spectra are presented, in this spectral range, as a function of laser duration and average cluster size. Signature of very highly charged ions (Ar16+) was observed with relatively low intensity laser pulses (few 1015 W.cm-2). This feature is not yet clearly understood nor reproduced by simulations. Optimal laser pulse duration was observed for X-ray production, depending on the cluster size. For the first time to our knowledge, the duration of K-shell X-ray bursts was measured with a home-made streak camera to be on the picosecond scale.
X-ray spectra of a few picosecond duration were emitted by aluminum, selenium and samarium thin foils irradiated with a 100 TW, 300 fs laser at 0.53 μm wavelength. They were measured in the 1600 eV range with high temporal and spectral resolution, using a high-speed streak camera coupled to a conical Bragg crystal. Gradients were limited by using thin foils (300 to 800 Å) deposited on a 50 μm gold pinhole. Frequency Domain Interferometry was set to measure the velocity of the critical density at the rear of the target and deduce the electron temperature. A few picosecond duration X-ray spectra have been measured. Sm spectra showed no spectral features in the measured wavelength range, providing a spectrally homogeneous backlighter for absorption spectroscopy. The duration of the emission was shorter when observed through a pinhole. 1-D hydrodynamic simulations coupled to an atomic collisional-radiative code have been used to simulate the X-ray emission of aluminum. The main features of the experimental time resolved spectra, obtained for the pinhole target have been well reproduced, for an initial temperature of 700 ± 100 eV.
A mathematical model of clusters forming in gas jets is proposed. This model concerns with the representation of the clusters by the moments of the distribution function of the clusters with respect to the radius. This model uses the kinetic theory of phase transitions presented by Frenkel for the kinetic of the clusters formation. The numerical results obtained with the help of this model are compared with the direct experimental measurements based on Mach-Zehnder interferometry and Rayleigh scattering.
Review of systematic investigations of x-ray radiation properties of different clusters heated by short-pulse high- intensive TI:Sa laser radiation is presented. The cluster targets were formed by the adiabatic expansion in vacuum of an Ar or CO2 gas puff produced by a pulsed valve with a Laval or conical nozzles. The gas jet pressure is varied form 15 up to 100 bar. Detailed theoretical modeling of cluster parameters have been done and compared with experimental measurements. High spectrally and spatially resolved x-ray spectra near resonance lines of H- and He- like ions of oxygen and Ar have been obtained and detailed spectroscopic analysis was consistent with a theoretical two-temperature collisional-radiative model of irradiated atomic clusters incorporating with an effects of highly energetic electronics. The role of laser prepulse for x-ray intensity emission and its spatial distribution were investigated in details. X-ray spectra radiation from plasma with electron density more than 1022 cm-3 was at first time observed. Big effect of fast electrons influence on the x-ray emission of He-like Ar spectra was demonstrated. Comparison with data under various experimental conditions clearly demonstrated that for increasing x-ray output form plasma the most essential to increase size of clusters and has reasonable value of ps prepulse.
Recent advances in femtosecond laser plasma x-rays sources have resulted in several experiments to explore the dynamics of physical and chemical processes on the femtosecond time scale. We present our most recent progresses on the development of an intense broadband x-ray source in the multi-keV range, for application to time-resolved EXAFFS experiments. Experiments have been realized with two different CPA laser systems having different pulse durations and characteristics. X-ray emissions in the 5KeV range generated form solid targets with the INRS Nd:Glass laser and the UCSD Ti:Sapphire laser have been characterized through high resolution and time resolved x-ray spectroscopy. The application of this source to time resolved EXAFS measurements with a sub-picosecond time resolution will also be discussed.
Recent experiments, performed at the C.E.A./Limeil-Valenton P102 laser facility on the Ni-like transient collisional scheme, are reported in this paper. They mainly aimed at enhancing the efficiency and improving the optical properties of the already demonstrated 4d J equals 0/4p J equals 1 Ag19+ x-ray laser at 13.9 nm. The now classical 2- stage traveling-wave irradiation of slab targets was used, the illumination sequence being constituted of a long (600 ps) low-flux (0.5 - 11 J) laser pulse followed (200 ps later) by a short (< 1 ps) high intensity (1 - 20 J) one. The work novelty was the use of frequency-doubled pulses, either for the pre-forming or the pumping one. Various combinations ((omega) -(omega) , 2(omega) -(omega) , (omega) - 2(omega) ) have been investigated in terms of lasing performances. High gains, around 34/cm, have been measured and saturation achieved for target lengths above 4 mm. A strong enhancement, up to a few (mu) J, of the x-ray laser output has been observed, due to traveling-wave irradiation method, while the emission duration was decreased to less than 10 ps, resulting in a 300 kW source. Moreover, under specific laser conditions, a second lasing line at 16 nm was detected. Finally, the possibility of cavity operating transient collisional x-ray lasers has been demonstrated.
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