Optimizing MeV photon dose generation in laser-solid interactions via stable beam propagation

Bremsstrahlung MeV x rays with high doses are essential for radiography of dense objects. Intense, short-pulse laser-driven MeV x-ray sources offer a promising solution, but understanding how the dose scales with laser intensity is crucial for their development. While theory predicts a square root s...

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Main Authors: A. S. Bogale, L. Yin, S. Palaniyappan, J. Strehlow, S. V. Luedtke, C.-S. Wong, D. Stark, D. C. Gautier, J. C. Fernandez, A. Van Pelt, L. T. Mix, J. Twardowski, R. Fitzgarrald, F. N. Beg, B. J. Albright
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2025-05-01
Series:Physical Review Research
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.023169
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author A. S. Bogale
L. Yin
S. Palaniyappan
J. Strehlow
S. V. Luedtke
C.-S. Wong
D. Stark
D. C. Gautier
J. C. Fernandez
A. Van Pelt
L. T. Mix
J. Twardowski
R. Fitzgarrald
F. N. Beg
B. J. Albright
author_facet A. S. Bogale
L. Yin
S. Palaniyappan
J. Strehlow
S. V. Luedtke
C.-S. Wong
D. Stark
D. C. Gautier
J. C. Fernandez
A. Van Pelt
L. T. Mix
J. Twardowski
R. Fitzgarrald
F. N. Beg
B. J. Albright
author_sort A. S. Bogale
collection DOAJ
description Bremsstrahlung MeV x rays with high doses are essential for radiography of dense objects. Intense, short-pulse laser-driven MeV x-ray sources offer a promising solution, but understanding how the dose scales with laser intensity is crucial for their development. While theory predicts a square root scaling with laser intensity, experimental verification has been hindered by significant shot-to-shot variations, often exacerbated by long preplasma scale lengths from low laser contrast. Here, we demonstrate low shot-to-shot dose variation and confirm the theoretical scaling using high-contrast OMEGA EP laser interactions with millimeter-thick tantalum foils, achieving MeV x-ray doses up to 5.4 rad at 1 m for E_{photon}> 500 keV. Simulations reveal that the unique focal spot of the OMEGA EP laser enables efficient x-ray generation and reduced variability by facilitating deeper laser penetration into dense plasma, even with shorter preplasma scale lengths.
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spelling doaj-art-e830e50647c14bab9b4269a44c1b18a72025-08-20T01:52:11ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642025-05-017202316910.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.023169Optimizing MeV photon dose generation in laser-solid interactions via stable beam propagationA. S. BogaleL. YinS. PalaniyappanJ. StrehlowS. V. LuedtkeC.-S. WongD. StarkD. C. GautierJ. C. FernandezA. Van PeltL. T. MixJ. TwardowskiR. FitzgarraldF. N. BegB. J. AlbrightBremsstrahlung MeV x rays with high doses are essential for radiography of dense objects. Intense, short-pulse laser-driven MeV x-ray sources offer a promising solution, but understanding how the dose scales with laser intensity is crucial for their development. While theory predicts a square root scaling with laser intensity, experimental verification has been hindered by significant shot-to-shot variations, often exacerbated by long preplasma scale lengths from low laser contrast. Here, we demonstrate low shot-to-shot dose variation and confirm the theoretical scaling using high-contrast OMEGA EP laser interactions with millimeter-thick tantalum foils, achieving MeV x-ray doses up to 5.4 rad at 1 m for E_{photon}> 500 keV. Simulations reveal that the unique focal spot of the OMEGA EP laser enables efficient x-ray generation and reduced variability by facilitating deeper laser penetration into dense plasma, even with shorter preplasma scale lengths.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.023169
spellingShingle A. S. Bogale
L. Yin
S. Palaniyappan
J. Strehlow
S. V. Luedtke
C.-S. Wong
D. Stark
D. C. Gautier
J. C. Fernandez
A. Van Pelt
L. T. Mix
J. Twardowski
R. Fitzgarrald
F. N. Beg
B. J. Albright
Optimizing MeV photon dose generation in laser-solid interactions via stable beam propagation
Physical Review Research
title Optimizing MeV photon dose generation in laser-solid interactions via stable beam propagation
title_full Optimizing MeV photon dose generation in laser-solid interactions via stable beam propagation
title_fullStr Optimizing MeV photon dose generation in laser-solid interactions via stable beam propagation
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing MeV photon dose generation in laser-solid interactions via stable beam propagation
title_short Optimizing MeV photon dose generation in laser-solid interactions via stable beam propagation
title_sort optimizing mev photon dose generation in laser solid interactions via stable beam propagation
url http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.023169
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