High brightness multi-MeV photon source driven by a petawatt-scale laser wakefield accelerator

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Gerstmayr, E., Kettle, B., Streeter, M. J. V., Tudor, L., Finlay, O. J., Bradley, L. E., Fitzgarrald, R., Foster, T., Gellersen, P., Gunn, A. E., Lawrence, O., Rajeev, P. P., Russell, B. K., Symes, D. R., Murphy, C. D., Thomas, A. G. R., Ridgers, C. P., Sarri, G., Mangles, S. P. D.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Gerstmayr, E.
Kettle, B.
Streeter, M. J. V.
Tudor, L.
Finlay, O. J.
Bradley, L. E.
Fitzgarrald, R.
Foster, T.
Gellersen, P.
Gunn, A. E.
Lawrence, O.
Rajeev, P. P.
Russell, B. K.
Symes, D. R.
Murphy, C. D.
Thomas, A. G. R.
Ridgers, C. P.
Sarri, G.
Mangles, S. P. D.
author_facet Gerstmayr, E.
Kettle, B.
Streeter, M. J. V.
Tudor, L.
Finlay, O. J.
Bradley, L. E.
Fitzgarrald, R.
Foster, T.
Gellersen, P.
Gunn, A. E.
Lawrence, O.
Rajeev, P. P.
Russell, B. K.
Symes, D. R.
Murphy, C. D.
Thomas, A. G. R.
Ridgers, C. P.
Sarri, G.
Mangles, S. P. D.
contents We present an experimental demonstration of a bright multi-MeV gamma source driven by a petawatt laser. The source generates on average $(1.2\pm0.6)\times10^9$ photons above 1 MeV per pulse, exceeding those of previous all-optical sources by a hundred times, and reached a peak spectral brightness of $(3.9 \pm 1.5)\times 10^{22}$ photons/mm$^2$/mrad$^2$/s/0.1%BW at $ε_γ\approx11$ MeV. The source was produced by inverse Compton scattering of a laser wakefield accelerated GeV electron beam and its back-reflected driving laser pulse. Its performance is well described by a simple model of the laser and electron properties at the collision point that allows quantitative predictions and identifies clear strategies to further enhance radiation efficiency. Our results highlight the promise of this source for fundamental physics studies, as well as for applications of nuclear resonance fluorescence and nuclear transmutation.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_23718
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle High brightness multi-MeV photon source driven by a petawatt-scale laser wakefield accelerator
Gerstmayr, E.
Kettle, B.
Streeter, M. J. V.
Tudor, L.
Finlay, O. J.
Bradley, L. E.
Fitzgarrald, R.
Foster, T.
Gellersen, P.
Gunn, A. E.
Lawrence, O.
Rajeev, P. P.
Russell, B. K.
Symes, D. R.
Murphy, C. D.
Thomas, A. G. R.
Ridgers, C. P.
Sarri, G.
Mangles, S. P. D.
Plasma Physics
Accelerator Physics
We present an experimental demonstration of a bright multi-MeV gamma source driven by a petawatt laser. The source generates on average $(1.2\pm0.6)\times10^9$ photons above 1 MeV per pulse, exceeding those of previous all-optical sources by a hundred times, and reached a peak spectral brightness of $(3.9 \pm 1.5)\times 10^{22}$ photons/mm$^2$/mrad$^2$/s/0.1%BW at $ε_γ\approx11$ MeV. The source was produced by inverse Compton scattering of a laser wakefield accelerated GeV electron beam and its back-reflected driving laser pulse. Its performance is well described by a simple model of the laser and electron properties at the collision point that allows quantitative predictions and identifies clear strategies to further enhance radiation efficiency. Our results highlight the promise of this source for fundamental physics studies, as well as for applications of nuclear resonance fluorescence and nuclear transmutation.
title High brightness multi-MeV photon source driven by a petawatt-scale laser wakefield accelerator
topic Plasma Physics
Accelerator Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.23718