Optimizing the interaction geometry of inverse Compton scattering x-ray sources

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Sweers, C. W., Luiten, O. J.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Sweers, C. W.
Luiten, O. J.
author_facet Sweers, C. W.
Luiten, O. J.
contents Inverse Compton scattering (ICS) is a promising method for generating coherent and tunable x-rays in a compact setup. In this paper, we present a theoretical framework describing the output of an ICS x-ray source for arbitrary interaction angles between pulsed electron and laser beams. This allows for analytic optimization of the x-ray beam properties by varying the parameters defining the geometry. In general, different x-ray applications require optimization of different x-ray beam properties, such as energy spread for x-ray spectroscopy and angular spread for x-ray scattering measurements. In this paper, we restrict ourselves to optimization of the x-ray brilliance, which is a comprehensive figure of merit for x-ray beam quality. We investigate two specific ICS interaction geometries in particular: head-on scattering of a laser beam off an electron beam; and scattering of a laser beam off an electron beam in a co-propagating geometry, interacting under a grazing angle. For head-on scattering we show that a tightly focused, cylindrically symmetric laser pulse, which balances laser intensity and interaction time, optimizes the x-ray brilliance. For a co-propagating, grazing angle geometry, an elliptical focus of the laser pulse is required to mitigate the effect of a reduced interaction time. We find that the latter geometry is especially useful for soft x-ray generation.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_20356
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Optimizing the interaction geometry of inverse Compton scattering x-ray sources
Sweers, C. W.
Luiten, O. J.
Accelerator Physics
Optics
Inverse Compton scattering (ICS) is a promising method for generating coherent and tunable x-rays in a compact setup. In this paper, we present a theoretical framework describing the output of an ICS x-ray source for arbitrary interaction angles between pulsed electron and laser beams. This allows for analytic optimization of the x-ray beam properties by varying the parameters defining the geometry. In general, different x-ray applications require optimization of different x-ray beam properties, such as energy spread for x-ray spectroscopy and angular spread for x-ray scattering measurements. In this paper, we restrict ourselves to optimization of the x-ray brilliance, which is a comprehensive figure of merit for x-ray beam quality. We investigate two specific ICS interaction geometries in particular: head-on scattering of a laser beam off an electron beam; and scattering of a laser beam off an electron beam in a co-propagating geometry, interacting under a grazing angle. For head-on scattering we show that a tightly focused, cylindrically symmetric laser pulse, which balances laser intensity and interaction time, optimizes the x-ray brilliance. For a co-propagating, grazing angle geometry, an elliptical focus of the laser pulse is required to mitigate the effect of a reduced interaction time. We find that the latter geometry is especially useful for soft x-ray generation.
title Optimizing the interaction geometry of inverse Compton scattering x-ray sources
topic Accelerator Physics
Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.20356