Near-Monochromatic X-ray Beams Produced by the Free Electron Laser and ComptonBackscatter

摘要

The intense photon output of a free electron laser may be made to collide withits own high energy electron beam to create nearly monochromatic x-rays using Compton backscatter techniques. These x-rays can be used for imaging and nonimaging diagnostic and therapeutic experiments. The initial configuration of the Vanderbilt Medical Free Electron Laser (Sierra Laser Systems, Sunnyvale, CA) produces intense x-rays up to 17.9 keV, although higher energies are easily attainable through the use of frequency doubling methods, alteration of the energy of the electron beam and coupling to conventional laser inputs.