2021/06/30 by A. Hannasch, M. LaBerge, Hannasch, A. +17
Physics and Astronomy · #Accelerator Physics (physics.acc-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph) #physics.acc-ph #physics.plasm-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2107.00139
Proceedings of the Advanced Accelerator Concepts Seminar Series 2020
arxiv created 2021/06/30 · arxiv updated 2021/07/02
We generate inverse Compton scattered X-rays in both linear and nonlinear regimes with a 250 MeV laser wakefield electron accelerator and plasma mirror by retro-reflecting the unused drive laser light to scatter from the accelerated electrons. We characterize the X-rays using a CsI(Tl) voxelated scintillator that measures their total energy and divergence as a function of plasma mirror distance from the accelerator exit. At each plasma mirror position, these X-ray properties are correlated with the measured fluence and inferred intensity of the laser pulse after driving the accelerator to determine the laser strength parameter a0. The results show that ICS X-rays are generated at a0 ranging from 0.3±0.1 to 1.65±0.25, and exceed the strength of co-propagating bremsstrahlung and betatron X-rays at least ten-fold throughout this range of a0.