Development of control mechanisms for a laser wakefield accelerator-driven bremsstrahlung X-ray source for advanced radiographic imaging

C I D Underwood; C D Baird; C D Murphy; C D Armstrong; C Thorton; O J Finlay; M J V Streeter; M P Selwood; N Brierley; S Cipiccia; J-N Gruse; Paul McKenna; Z Najmudin; D Neely; D Rusby; D R Symes; C M Brenner

doi:10.1088/1361-6587/abbebe

Development of control mechanisms for a laser wakefield accelerator-driven bremsstrahlung X-ray source for advanced radiographic imaging

C I D Underwood, C D Baird, C D Murphy, C D Armstrong , C Thorton, O J Finlay, M J V Streeter, M P Selwood, N Brierley, S Cipiccia, J-N Gruse, Paul McKenna, Z Najmudin, D Neely, D Rusby, D R Symes, C M Brenner

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Abstract

A high power laser was used to accelerate electrons in a laser-driven wakefield accelerator. The high energy electrons were then used to generate an x-ray beam by passing them through a converter target. This bremsstrahlung source was characterised and used to perform penetrative imaging of industrially relevant samples. The photon spectrum had a critical energy in excess of 100 MeV and a source size smaller than the resolution of the diagnostic (≲150 µm). Simulations indicate a significantly smaller source is achievable. Variations in the x-ray source characteristics were realised through changes to the plasma and converter parameters while simulations confirm the adaptability of the source. Imaging of high areal density objects with 150 µm resolution was performed, demonstrating the unique advantages of this novel source.

Original language	English
Article number	124002
Journal	Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Volume	62
Issue number	12
Early online date	6 Oct 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6587/abbebe
Publication status	Published - 29 Oct 2020

Keywords

laser wakefield acceleration
Bremsstrahlung source
X-ray characterisation
radiography
non-destructive testing

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10.1088/1361-6587/abbebeLicence: CC BY 4.0

Underwood-etal-PPCF-2020-laser-wakefield-accelerator-driven-bremsstrahlung-x-ray-source-for-advanced-radiographic-imagingFinal published version, 2.38 MBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Cockcroft Institute
McKenna, P. (Principal Investigator), Cross, A. (Co-investigator), Eliasson, B. (Co-investigator), Gray, R. (Co-investigator), Hidding, B. (Co-investigator), Jaroszynski, D. (Co-investigator), McNeil, B. (Co-investigator), Ronald, K. (Co-investigator), Sheng, Z.-M. (Co-investigator) & Zhang, L. (Research Co-investigator)
University of Liverpool, Lancaster University, University of Manchester, STFC Science and Technology Facilities Council
1/04/17 → 31/03/22
Project: Research

Cite this

Underwood, C. I. D., Baird, C. D., Murphy, C. D., Armstrong , C. D., Thorton, C., Finlay, O. J., Streeter, M. J. V., Selwood, M. P., Brierley, N., Cipiccia, S., Gruse, J.-N., McKenna, P., Najmudin, Z., Neely, D., Rusby, D., Symes, D. R., & Brenner, C. M. (2020). Development of control mechanisms for a laser wakefield accelerator-driven bremsstrahlung X-ray source for advanced radiographic imaging. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 62(12), Article 124002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6587/abbebe

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title = "Development of control mechanisms for a laser wakefield accelerator-driven bremsstrahlung X-ray source for advanced radiographic imaging",

abstract = "A high power laser was used to accelerate electrons in a laser-driven wakefield accelerator. The high energy electrons were then used to generate an x-ray beam by passing them through a converter target. This bremsstrahlung source was characterised and used to perform penetrative imaging of industrially relevant samples. The photon spectrum had a critical energy in excess of 100 MeV and a source size smaller than the resolution of the diagnostic (≲150 µm). Simulations indicate a significantly smaller source is achievable. Variations in the x-ray source characteristics were realised through changes to the plasma and converter parameters while simulations confirm the adaptability of the source. Imaging of high areal density objects with 150 µm resolution was performed, demonstrating the unique advantages of this novel source.",

keywords = "laser wakefield acceleration, Bremsstrahlung source, X-ray characterisation, radiography, non-destructive testing",

author = "Underwood, {C I D} and Baird, {C D} and Murphy, {C D} and Armstrong, {C D} and C Thorton and Finlay, {O J} and Streeter, {M J V} and Selwood, {M P} and N Brierley and S Cipiccia and J-N Gruse and Paul McKenna and Z Najmudin and D Neely and D Rusby and Symes, {D R} and Brenner, {C M}",

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doi = "10.1088/1361-6587/abbebe",

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Underwood, CID, Baird, CD, Murphy, CD, Armstrong , CD, Thorton, C, Finlay, OJ, Streeter, MJV, Selwood, MP, Brierley, N, Cipiccia, S, Gruse, J-N, McKenna, P, Najmudin, Z, Neely, D, Rusby, D, Symes, DR & Brenner, CM 2020, 'Development of control mechanisms for a laser wakefield accelerator-driven bremsstrahlung X-ray source for advanced radiographic imaging', Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, vol. 62, no. 12, 124002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6587/abbebe

TY - JOUR

T1 - Development of control mechanisms for a laser wakefield accelerator-driven bremsstrahlung X-ray source for advanced radiographic imaging

AU - Underwood, C I D

AU - Baird, C D

AU - Murphy, C D

AU - Armstrong , C D

AU - Thorton, C

AU - Finlay, O J

AU - Streeter, M J V

AU - Selwood, M P

AU - Brierley, N

AU - Cipiccia, S

AU - Gruse, J-N

AU - McKenna, Paul

AU - Najmudin, Z

AU - Neely, D

AU - Rusby, D

AU - Symes, D R

AU - Brenner, C M

PY - 2020/10/29

Y1 - 2020/10/29

N2 - A high power laser was used to accelerate electrons in a laser-driven wakefield accelerator. The high energy electrons were then used to generate an x-ray beam by passing them through a converter target. This bremsstrahlung source was characterised and used to perform penetrative imaging of industrially relevant samples. The photon spectrum had a critical energy in excess of 100 MeV and a source size smaller than the resolution of the diagnostic (≲150 µm). Simulations indicate a significantly smaller source is achievable. Variations in the x-ray source characteristics were realised through changes to the plasma and converter parameters while simulations confirm the adaptability of the source. Imaging of high areal density objects with 150 µm resolution was performed, demonstrating the unique advantages of this novel source.

AB - A high power laser was used to accelerate electrons in a laser-driven wakefield accelerator. The high energy electrons were then used to generate an x-ray beam by passing them through a converter target. This bremsstrahlung source was characterised and used to perform penetrative imaging of industrially relevant samples. The photon spectrum had a critical energy in excess of 100 MeV and a source size smaller than the resolution of the diagnostic (≲150 µm). Simulations indicate a significantly smaller source is achievable. Variations in the x-ray source characteristics were realised through changes to the plasma and converter parameters while simulations confirm the adaptability of the source. Imaging of high areal density objects with 150 µm resolution was performed, demonstrating the unique advantages of this novel source.

KW - laser wakefield acceleration

KW - Bremsstrahlung source

KW - X-ray characterisation

KW - radiography

KW - non-destructive testing

U2 - 10.1088/1361-6587/abbebe

DO - 10.1088/1361-6587/abbebe

M3 - Article

SN - 0741-3335

VL - 62

JO - Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

JF - Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

IS - 12

M1 - 124002

ER -

Development of control mechanisms for a laser wakefield accelerator-driven bremsstrahlung X-ray source for advanced radiographic imaging

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