LASER SYNCHROTRON-RADIATION AS A COMPACT SOURCE OF TUNABLE, SHORT-PULSE HARD X-RAYS

A compact laser synchrotron source (LSS) is proposed as a means of gen erating tunable. narrow bandwidth, ultrashort pulses of hard X-rays. T he LSS is based on the Thomson backscattering of intense laser radiati on from a counterstreaming electron beam. Advances in both compact ult raintense solid-state lasers and high brightness rf linac beams make t he LSS an attractive compact source of high brightness X-rays, particu larly at photon energies beyond approximately 30 keV. The spectral flu x, brightness. bandwidth and pulse structure are analyzed. In the abse nce of filtering the spectral bandwidth in the LSS is typically less t han or similar to l% and is limited by electron beam emittance and ene rgy spread. Two configurations of the LSS are discussed, one providing high peak power and the other high average power.