Premium
Ultrafast microfocus x‐ray source based on a femtosecond laser‐triggered tip
Author(s) -
Foreman Seth M.,
Kealhofer Catherine,
Skulason Gunnar E.,
Klopfer Bran B.,
Kasevich Mark A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
annalen der physik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1521-3889
pISSN - 0003-3804
DOI - 10.1002/andp.201200186
Subject(s) - ultrashort pulse , optics , femtosecond , bremsstrahlung , laser , electron , physics , x ray , pulse (music) , materials science , photon , quantum mechanics , detector
A compact microfocus x‐ray source based on a high repetition rate, ultrafast laser‐triggered field emission cathode is characterized. Bremsstrahlung and Cu K α x‐ray pulses are generated in a transmission geometry from 20‐keV electrons incident on a thin Cu target. Timing correlations between optical and x‐ray pulses show that the precision timing properties of the optical pulse train are transferred to the x‐ray pulse train. Simple electron optics allow a demonstration of point‐projection x‐ray imaging. Modelling of the electron trajectories shows that sub‐µm spot sizes and sub‐100‐fs x‐ray pulse durations are feasible with improved electron optics.