Bright synchrotron radiation from nano-forest targets

Abstract

This paper proposes an intense x-ray source based on the interactions of intense laser pulses with nanowire targets. The presented electron dynamics and energy scalings have been studied by three dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The resonance of the electronic betatron oscillations with the incident laser field results in extremely high energy electrons. The scaling of radiation intensity is predicted to be ∼ I L 5 / 2, where IL is the laser intensity, using optimal parameters. In this case, the number of photons emitted, via synchrotron radiation, with energies above the keV level with 0.1 rad angular spread is greater than 10 8 /fs for intensities I L > 10 20 W/cm2. This scaling law suggests that the photon flux production using nanowires of suitable lengths is much greater than in a underdense plasma.