Application of compact laser-driven accelerator X-ray sources for industrial imaging
J.-N. Gruse, M. J. V. Streeter, C. Thornton, C. Armstrong, C. D. Baird, Nicolas Bourgeois, Silvia Cipiccia, Oliver J. Finlay, C. D. Gregory, Y. Katzir, N. Lopes, S. P. D. Mangles, Z. Najmudin, D. Neely, Laura Rhian Pickard, Kevin D Potter, P. P. Rajeev, D. Rusby, C. I. D. Underwood, Jason M. Warnett, Mark A. Williams, Jonathan Wood, C. D. Murphy, C. M. Brenner, D. R. Symes
Abstract
X-rays generated by betatron oscillations of electrons in a laser-driven plasma accelerator were characterised and applied to imaging industrial samples. With a 125 TW laser, a low divergence beam with 5.2±1.7 × 107 photons mrad−2 per pulse was produced with a synchrotron spectrum with a critical energy of 14.6±1.3 keV. Radiographs were obtained of a metrology test sample, battery electrodes, and a damage site in a composite material. These results demonstrate the suitability of the source for non-destructive evaluation applications. The potential for industrial implementation of plasma accelerators is discussed.