Single shot phase contrast imaging using laser-produced Betatron x-ray beams

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that laser-produced Betatron x-ray beams can achieve high-quality phase contrast imaging of complex objects with a single shot, significantly reducing exposure time compared to traditional methods.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of Betatron x-ray radiation for single-shot phase contrast imaging in a laboratory setting.

Findings

High-quality phase contrast image obtained with a single laser shot

Betatron x-ray source produces 10^9 photons per shot

Source diameter of 1.7 microns and critical energy of 12.3 keV

Abstract

Development of x-ray phase contrast imaging applications with a laboratory scale source have been limited by the long exposure time needed to obtain one image. We demonstrate, using the Betatron x-ray radiation produced when electrons are accelerated and wiggled in the laser-wakefield cavity, that a high quality phase contrast image of a complex object (here, a bee), located in air, can be obtained with a single laser shot. The Betatron x-ray source used in this proof of principle experiment has a source diameter of 1.7 microns and produces a synchrotron spectrum with critical energy E_c=12.3 +- 2.5 keV and 10^9 photons per shot in the whole spectrum.