Deducing the electron-beam diameter in a laser-plasma accelerator using x-ray betatron radiation

Phys Rev Lett. 2012 Feb 17;108(7):075001. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.075001. Epub 2012 Feb 13.

Abstract

We investigate the properties of a laser-plasma electron accelerator as a bright source of keV x-ray radiation. During the interaction, the electrons undergo betatron oscillations and from the carefully measured x-ray spectrum the oscillation amplitude of the electrons can be deduced which decreases with increasing electron energies. From the oscillation amplitude and the independently measured x-ray source size of (1.8±0.3) μm we are able to estimate the electron bunch diameter to be (1.6±0.3) μm.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Electrons*
  • Lasers*
  • Particle Accelerators*
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • X-Rays