Laser-Compton X-ray Generation
Toshiki Tajima, Yoonwoo Hwang, Po-Chun Yeh
APS DPP ’17 talk slides on K-edge filter beam diagnostic
IPAC’17 talk slides on medical applications APS DPP ’16 talk slides
IPAC’17 paper on K-edge filter beam diagnostic IPAC’17 paper on medical applications IPAC’16 paper NAPAC’16 paper
A relativistic electron beam colliding with a laser beam produces Compton-scattered photons that are upshifted in energy by up to a factor of 4γ2, where γ is the Lorentz factor of the electron. This novel method of X-ray generation using an electron accelerator and a laser can produce monoenergetic and tunable hard X-rays in a much more compact setting than is currently possible. Our group is collaborating with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in developing and characterizing the X-rays produced by the X-band accelerator dedicated to Laser-Compton X-ray generation. Medical applications of the machine, including K-edge subtraction and Auger therapy are being studied.
High Intensity ultrashort laser pulse compression
Toshiki Tajima, Deano Farinella, Franklin Dollar
When high intensity laser pulses interact with materials, they can induce nonlinear processes such as Self-Phase Modulation (SPM). This process causes a spectral broadening of the pulse that is linearly chirped. This linear chirp can be removed from this pulse to achieve a shorter, more intense pulse. Our group studies techniques such as Thin Film Compression (TFC) to compress intense laser pulses towards the single-cycle regime. Simulations show that intense, single cycle pulses may be well suited to attosecond x-ray generation as well as ion acceleration.
Beam-driven instabilities in the Field-Reversed Configuration
Toshiki Tajima, Scott Nicks, Ales Necas