Development of Laser-Driven Plasma X-ray Lasers and Applications

Simulation of laser-driven x-ray backlighter

One of applications proposed for PHELIX is ignition of hot laser sparks for x-ray shadowgraphy and K-shell absorption spectroscopy of heavy-ion-beam targets [1]. In 2004 we started numerical simulation and optimization of laserdriven x-ray backlighter. An emphasis of this study is on efficiency of conversion of the laser pulse energy into hard x-rays. Here we present the computational tools and...

Optimum driving a Z-pinch for soft X-Ray lasers

A capillary plasma z-pinch as an alternative active medium of soft X-Ray lasers was studied experimentally and theoretically. The theoretical analysis was based on the self consistent solution of the so called “snow plow” model. The dynamics of pinched plasma is determined by the capillary parameters and by the time dependence of electrical current passing through it. The current time dependenc...

All-laser-driven Thomson X-ray sources

We discuss the development of a new generation of accelerator-based hard X-ray sources driven exclusively by laser light. High-intensity laser pulses serve the dual roles: first, accelerating electrons by laser-driven plasma wakefields, and second, generating X-rays by inverse Compton scattering. Such all-laser-driven X-rays have recently been demonstrated to be energetic, tunable, relatively n...

X Ray and Gamma Ray Lasers

X-ray lasers and crystallography

The development of X-ray lasers and their applications in crystallography is described. In the birth of this new field, IUCrJ is ideally positioned to present this research to both specialists in crystallography, and to the wider audience in structural biology.