Development and Characterization of a tunable ultrafast X-ray source via Inverse Compton Scattering


Development and Characterization of a tunable ultrafast X-ray source via Inverse Compton Scattering

Jochmann, A.

Ultrashort, nearly monochromatic hard X-ray pulses enrich the understanding of the dynamics and function of matter, e.g., the motion of atomic structures associated with ultrafast phase transitions, structural dynamics and (bio)chemical reactions. Inverse Compton backscattering of intense laser pulses from relativistic electrons not only allows for the generation of bright X-ray pulses which can be used in a pumpprobe experiment, but also for the investigation of the electron beam dynamics at the interaction point.
The focus of this PhD work lies on the detailed understanding of the kinematics during the interaction of the relativistic electron bunch and the laser pulse in order to quantify the influence of various experiment parameters on the emitted X-ray radiation.
The experiment was conducted at the ELBE center for high power radiation sources using the ELBE superconducting linear accelerator and the DRACO Ti:sapphire laser system. The combination of both these state-of-the-art apparatuses guaranteed the control and stability of the interacting beam parameters throughout the measurement.
The emitted X-ray spectra were detected with a pixelated detector of 1024 by 256 elements (each 26μm by 26μm) to achieve an unprecedented spatial and energy resolution for a full characterization of the emitted spectrum to reveal parameter influences and correlations of both interacting beams. In this work the influence of the electron beam energy, electron beam emittance, the laser bandwidth and the energy-anglecorrelation on the spectra of the backscattered X-rays is quantified.
A rigorous statistical analysis comparing experimental data to ab-initio 3D simulations enabled, e.g., the extraction of the angular distribution of electrons with 1.5% accuracy and, in total, provides predictive capability for the future high brightness hard X-ray source PHOENIX (Photon electron collider for Narrow bandwidth Intense X-rays) and potential all optical gamma-ray sources.
The results will serve as a milestone and starting point for the scaling of the Xray flux based on available interaction parameters of an ultrashort bright X-ray source at the ELBE center for high power radiation sources. The knowledge of the spatial and spectral distribution of photons from an inverse Compton scattering source is essential in designing future experiments as well as for tailoring the X-ray spectral properties to an experimental need.

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  • Doctoral thesis
    TU Dresden, 2014
    Mentor: Prof. Dr. Roland Sauerbrey
    103 Seiten
  • Open Access Logo Wissenschaftlich-Technische Berichte / Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf; HZDR-055 2014
    ISSN: 2191-8708, eISSN: 2191-8716

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Publ.-Id: 21040