A seeded FEL driven by a linac based on super conducting cavities, generating 108-1010 coherent photons per shot at 2-5 keV with 0.2-1 MHz of repetition rate, can address the need of a source devoted ...to fine analysis of matter using the linear spectroscopy technique. The seeding scheme described hereafter is a multi-stage cascade upshifting the radiation frequency by a factor 20-40. The x-ray range can be achieved with a seed constituted by a coherent flash in the extreme ultraviolet range provided by an FEL oscillator operating at 12-14 nm. The whole chain of x-ray generation is described by means of start-to-end three-dimensional simulations.
Laser-based electron sources are attracting strong interest from the conventional accelerator community due to their unique characteristics in terms of high initial energy, low emittance, and ...significant beam current. Extremely strong electric fields (up to hundreds of GV/m ) generated in the plasma allow accelerating gradients much higher than in conventional accelerators and set the basis for achieving very high final energies in a compact space. Generating laser-driven high-energy electron beam lines therefore represents an attractive challenge for novel particle accelerators. In this paper we show that laser-driven electrons generated by the nowadays consolidated TW laser systems, when leaving the interaction region, are subject to a very strong, normalized emittance worsening which makes them quickly unusable for any beam transport. Furthermore, due to their intrinsic beam characteristics, controlling and capturing the full beam current can only be achieved improving the source parameters.
We revisit the description of inverse Compton scattering sources and the photon beams generated therein, emphasizing the behavior of their phase space density distributions and how they depend upon ...those of the two colliding beams of electrons and photons. The main objective is to provide practical formulas for bandwidth, spectral density, brilliance, which are valid in general for any value of the recoil factor, i.e. both in the Thomson regime of negligible electron recoil, and in the deep Compton recoil dominated region, which is of interest for gamma-gamma colliders and Compton sources for the production of multi-GeV photon beams. We adopt a description based on the center of mass reference system of the electron-photon collision, in order to underline the role of the electron recoil and how it controls the relativistic Doppler/boost effect in various regimes. Using the center of mass reference frame greatly simplifies the treatment, allowing us to derive simple formulas expressed in terms of rms momenta of the two colliding beams (emittance, energy spread, etc.) and the collimation angle in the laboratory system. Comparisons with Monte Carlo simulations of inverse Compton scattering in various scenarios are presented, showing very good agreement with the analytical formulas: in particular we find that the bandwidth dependence on the electron beam emittance, of paramount importance in Thomson regime, as it limits the amount of focusing imparted to the electron beam, becomes much less sensitive in deep Compton regime, allowing a stronger focusing of the electron beam to enhance luminosity without loss of mono-chromaticity. A similar effect occurs concerning the bandwidth dependence on the frequency spread of the incident photons: in deep recoil regime the bandwidth comes out to be much less dependent on the frequency spread. The set of formulas here derived are very helpful in designing inverse Compton sources in diverse regimes, giving a quite accurate first estimate in typical operational conditions for number of photons, bandwidth, spectral density and brilliance values—the typical figures of merit of such radiation sources.
Coronary angiography is clinically used worldwide to diagnose diseases of coronary arteries. Despite its effectiveness, this technique is quite invasive and it is associated with significant risks ...due to the arterial catheterisation needed to inject the contrast agent. A valid alternative is using the K-edge subtraction (KES) method, which is based on the subtraction of two images acquired at energies bracketing the K-edge of the contrast element. The enhanced sensitivity of KES allows the intravenous injection of the contrast agent, thus reducing the risks of catheterisation. This technique can be effectively implemented by using intense and quasi-monochromatic x-ray beams. Synchrotron radiation has been proven to work well for this purpose, but its cost and size prevent a widespread clinical application. Inverse Compton sources are among the most promising innovative sources of intense and quasi-monochromatic x-rays. These sources are intrinsically more compact than those based on synchrotron radiation. In this work, the potential application of inverse Compton radiation to KES angiography is investigated. To this purpose, after a short review of the physics behind the inverse Compton process, an analytical framework is described. The proposed model is based on the application of the KES algorithm to calculate the SNR of details inside a suitable mathematical phantom. That allowed us to identify the characteristics of an inverse Compton source required for KES imaging. In particular, it was estimated that a photon fluence of 10
ph mm
is necessary to detect signals of clinical interest. Novel sources based on inverse Compton promise to achieve this requirement with an acquisition time of few hundreds of ms. This feature, together with compactness, broad two-dimensional radiation field, absence of harmonic contamination and the ability to deliver high photon fluxes also at high energies, makes this kind of sources promising for KES angiography and other diagnostic applications.
A recent breakthrough in laser-plasma accelerators, based upon ultrashort high-intensity lasers, demonstrated the generation of quasi-monoenergetic GeV-electrons. With future Petawatt lasers ...ultra-high beam currents of ~100 kA in ~10 fs can be expected, allowing for drastic reduction in the undulator length of free-electron-lasers (FELs). We present a discussion of the key aspects of a table-top FEL design, including energy loss and chirps induced by space-charge and wakefields. These effects become important for an optimized table-top FEL operation. A first proof-of-principle VUV case is considered as well as a table-top X-ray-FEL which may also open a brilliant light source for new methods in clinical diagnostics.
Rising interest in inverse Compton sources has increased the need for efficient models that properly quantify the behavior of scattered radiation given a set of interaction parameters. The current ...state-of-the-art simulations rely on Monte Carlo–based methods, which, while properly expressing scattering behavior in high-probability regions of the produced spectra, may not correctly simulate such behavior in low-probability regions (e.g. tails of spectra). Moreover, sampling may take an inordinate amount of time for the desired accuracy to be achieved. In this paper, we present an analytic derivation of the expression describing the scattered radiation linewidth and propose a model to describe the effects of horizontal and vertical emittance on the properties of the scattered radiation. We also present an improved version of the code initially reported in Krafft et al. Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 19, 121302 (2016), that can perform the same simulations as those present in cain and give accurate results in low-probability regions by integrating over the emissions of the electrons. Finally, we use these codes to carry out simulations that closely verify the behavior predicted by the analytically derived scaling law.
The need of a fs-scale pulsed, high repetition rate, X-ray source for time-resolved fine analysis of matter (spectroscopy and photon scattering) in the linear response regime is addressed by the ...conceptual design of a facility called MariX (Multi-disciplinary Advanced Research Infrastructure for the generation and application of X-rays) outperforming current X-ray sources for the declared scope. MariX is based on the original design of a two-pass two-way superconducting linear electron accelerator, equipped with an arc compressor, to be operated in CW mode (1 MHz). MariX provides FEL emission in the range 0.2–8 keV with 108 photons per pulse ideally suited for photoelectric effect and inelastic X-ray scattering experiments. The accelerator complex includes an early stage that supports an advanced inverse Compton source of very high-flux hard X-rays of energies up to 180 keV that is well adapted for large area radiological imaging, realizing a broad science programme and serving a multidisciplinary user community, covering fundamental science of matter and application to life sciences, including health at preclinical and clinical level.
A systematic study of the polarization of x-gamma rays produced in Thomson and Compton scattering is presented, in both classical and quantum schemes. Numerical results and analytical considerations ...let us to establish the polarization level as a function of acceptance, bandwidth and energy. Few sources have been considered: the SPARC_LAB Thomson device, as an example of a x-ray Thomson source, ELI-NP, operating in the gamma range. Then, the typical parameters of a beam produced by a plasma accelerator has been analyzed. In the first case, with bandwidths up to 10%, a contained reduction (<10% ) in the average polarization occurs. In the last case, for the nominal ELI-NP relative bandwidth of 5×10−3 , the polarization is always close to 1. For applications requiring larger bandwidth, however, a degradation of the polarization up to 30% must be taken into account. In addition, an all optical gamma source based on a plasma accelerated electron beam cannot guarantee narrow bandwidth and high polarization operational conditions required in nuclear photonics experiments.
Fine time-resolved analysis of matter—i.e., spectroscopy and photon scattering—in the linear response regime requires a fs-scale pulsed, high repetition rate, fully coherent x-ray source. A seeded ...free-electron laser (FEL) driven by a super-conducting linac, generating108–1010coherent photons at 2–5 keV with about 0.5 MHz of repetition rate, can address this need. The seeding scheme proposed is the echo-enabled harmonic generation, alimented by a FEL oscillator working at 13.6 nm with a cavity based on Mo-Si mirrors. The whole chain of the x-ray generation is here described by means of start-to-end simulations. Comparisons with the self-amplified spontaneous emission and a fresh-bunch harmonic cascade performed with similar electron beams show the validity of this scheme.
Dedifferentiated liposarcomas are rare; localization of these tumors in the descending colon is extremely uncommon. We describe the case of a 75-year-old man with a dedifferentiated liposarcoma ...originating from the descending colon that manifested as partial bowel obstruction. The very uncommon presentation of this rare disease contributed to a challenging diagnostic process. The patient was successfully treated by surgical resection of the mass through left hemicolectomy. Although exceptionally unusual, soft tissue sarcomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis for bowel obstruction. Currently, radical resection of the mass is considered to be the first-line treatment.
PDF
