Physical Review Special Topics. Accelerators and Beams (Feb 2012)

Single shot diffraction of picosecond 8.7-keV x-ray pulses

  • F. H. O’Shea,
  • O. Williams,
  • G. Andonian,
  • S. Barber,
  • Y. Sakai,
  • J. B. Rosenzweig,
  • I. Pogorelsky,
  • M. Fedurin,
  • K. Kusche,
  • V. Yakimenko

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevstab.15.020702
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 2
p. 020702

Abstract

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We demonstrate multiphoton, single shot diffraction images of x rays produced by inverse Compton scattering a high-power CO_{2} laser from a relativistic electron beam, creating a pulse of 8.7 keV x rays. The tightly focused, relatively high peak brightness electron beam and high photon density from the 2 J CO_{2} laser yielded 6×10^{7} x-ray photons over the full opening angle in a single shot. Single shot x-ray diffraction is performed by passing the x rays though a vertical slit and on to a flat silicon (111) crystal. 10^{2} diffracted photons were detected. The spectrum of the detected x rays is compared to simulation. The diffraction and detection of 10^{2} x rays is a key step to a more efficient time resolved diagnostic in which the number of observed x rays might reach 10^{4}; enabling a unique, flexible x-ray source as a sub-ps resolution diagnostic for studying the evolution of chemical reactions, lattice deformation and melting, and magnetism.