Initial steps towards imaging tumors during their irradiation by protons with the 200TW laser at the Advanced Laser Light Source facility (ALLS)

摘要

We are exploring the use of the ultra-high contrast 200 TW ALLS facility (5 J, 28 fs, 10 Hz repetition rate) as a basic tool to image in real time with X-rays (generated by the laser) tumors during their irradiation by protons (accelerated by the same laser). The feasibility of phase contrast imaging in in-line geometry and proton acceleration with 100 TW (3 J, 30 fs) on targets is studied and presented in the present paper. We demonstrate here that phase contrast x-ray imaging, of tests and complex objects located in air at 1m from the X-ray source, can be achieved in one shot using our betatron x-ray source generated in a supersonic gas jet. Using solid targets (thin and thick foils) our experiments indicate that protons are accelerated at a maximum energy of 12 MeV