Open AccessHigh-dose femtosecond-scale gamma-ray beams for radiobiological applications
Author(s) -
Conor Aidan McAnespie,
Matthew Streeter,
Matthew M. Rankin,
Pankaj Chaudhary,
S. J. McMahon,
Kevin M. Prise,
Gianluca Sarri
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
physics in medicine and biology/physics in medicine and biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.312
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1361-6560
pISSN - 0031-9155
DOI - 10.1088/1361-6560/ac5bfd
Subject(s) - femtosecond , compton scattering , laser , photon , gamma ray , electron , physics , scattering , irradiation , optics , radiation , pulse (music) , materials science , computational physics , nuclear physics , detector
Objective . In the irradiation of living tissue, the fundamental physical processes involved in radical production typically occur on a timescale of a few femtoseconds. A detailed understanding of these phenomena has thus far been limited by the relatively long duration of the radiation sources employed, extending well beyond the timescales for radical generation and evolution. Approach . Here, we propose a femtosecond-scale photon source, based on inverse Compton scattering of laser-plasma accelerated electron beams in the field of a second scattering laser pulse. Main results . Detailed numerical modelling indicates that existing laser facilities can provide ultra-short and high-flux MeV-scale photon beams, able to deposit doses tuneable from a fraction of Gy up to a few Gy per pulse, resulting in dose rates exceeding 10 13 Gy/s. Significance . We envisage that such a source will represent a unique tool for time-resolved radiobiological experiments, with the prospect of further advancing radio-therapeutic techniques.