Bright table-top x-ray sources using laser wakefield acceleration

该项目的目的是基于激光尾流场加速技术开发非常明亮的x射线源。这一切都可以在一个紧凑的大学规模的实验室中实现，因为激光尾流场加速可以在1厘米内产生高能电子束（~ 1 GeV），而使用传统技术则需要100米。在激光尾流场加速中，电子在非常强的激光脉冲产生的等离子体波中被加速。当电子在尾流场中被加速时，它们也会振荡，产生非常明亮的x射线，其特性与传统的同步加速器辐射源相似甚至超过。特别是，这些电子加速器x射线的超短特性为传统同步辐射无法实现的超快速时间分辨研究提供了可能性。这种明亮的x射线在科学和技术上有许多用途，被用来研究生物、药物开发和材料科学等不同领域物质的微观特性。将这些明亮的x射线源降低到大学-实验室规模可以显著增加和拓宽这些重要的科学和发现工具的使用。该项目将研究许多方法，这些方法可以操纵尾流场本身的电子轨迹，以控制和增强所产生的x射线的特性。基于激光脉冲整形、等离子体轮廓整形和使用多个激光脉冲的技术将进行数值研究，使用最先进的计算模拟，并在世界各地的一些世界领先的激光设施进行实验。卢瑟福阿普尔顿实验室、隆德大学和密歇根大学的多tw激光设备将使这些技术能够在一系列激光参数下进行研究。该项目建立在帝国理工学院激光等离子体小组在激光尾流场加速和辐射产生领域的良好记录基础上，为我们提供了研究这些极亮、超亮激光产生的x射线的新工具。

The aim of this project is to develop very bright x-ray sources based on the technique of laser wakefield acceleration. This can all be achieved in a compact, university-scale laboratory as laser wakefield acceleration can produce high energy electron beams ( ~ 1 GeV) in just 1 cm, compared with the 100s of metres required using conventional techniques. In laser wakefield acceleration electrons are accelerated in a plasma wave generated by a very intense laser pulse. As the electrons are accelerated in the wakefield they also oscillate, generating very bright x-rays with properties similar to or even surpassing those of conventional synchrotron radiation sources. In particular, the ultra-short nature of these betatron x-rays opens up the possibility of ultra-fast time-resolved studies that are not possible with conventional synchrotron radiation. Such bright x-rays have a multitude of uses in science and technology, being used to study the microscopic properties of matter in areas as diverse as biology, drug development and materials science. Bringing these bright x-ray sources down to a university-laboratory-scale could significantly increase and broaden access to these important tools for science and discovery.The project will study a number of methods that can manipulate the trajectories of the electrons within the wakefield itself to control and enhance the properties of the x-rays generated. Techniques based on laser pulse shaping, plasma profile shaping and the use of multiple laser pulses will be investigated both numerically, using state-of-the-art computational simulations, and on experiments at a number of world leading laser facilities around the world. Access to the multi-TW laser facilities at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Lund University and the University of Michigan will enable these techniques to be studied for a range of laser parameters. The project builds on the strong track record of the Imperial College Laser-Plasma group in the field of laser wakefield acceleration and radiation generation, providing us with new tools for the study of these extremely bright, ultra-bright laser produced x-rays.