MeV photon generation based on Thomson scattering using compact laser-plasma accelerators
ORAL
Abstract
Compact, narrow bandwidth, femtosecond-pulsed, MeV photon sources have the potential to offer advanced source parameters to benefit a number of fields, including nuclear nonproliferation, medicine, industrial CT scan, and photon nuclear spectroscopy. We produce such sources through Thomson scattering of~a~separately controlled `scatter' laser pulse from the electron beam of a laser-plasma accelerator. The~``scatter'' line has independent compression to enable high flux with controlled photon bandwidth and to enable future control of pulse shape. A high flux photon source with tunable energy and quasi-monoenergetic spread was achieved using this independent control of pulse shape and~a~well-developed alignment technique. The presentation will include techniques required for spatial and temporal overlap between focused beams, beam stability studies, and the MeV gamma ray diagnostics employed in the research.~
*This research is supported by the U.S. Dept. of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D (NA-22), and by the Office of Science Office of High Energy Physics, under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.
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