Intense Super-radiant X-rays from a Compact Source using a Nanocathode Array and Emittance Exchange

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new compact method for generating intense, short-wavelength X-ray radiation by periodically bunching relativistic electrons using nanocathode arrays and emittance exchange, resulting in super-radiant emission.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach combining nanocathode arrays and emittance exchange to produce in-phase electron bunching for super-radiant X-ray emission at short wavelengths.

Findings

Demonstrates periodic bunching at 13 nm wavelength.

Estimates intense, partially coherent X-ray production via inverse Compton scattering.

Shows feasibility of compact, high-brightness X-ray sources.

Abstract

A novel method of producing intense short wavelength radiation from relativistic electrons is described. The electrons are periodically bunched at the wavelength of interest enabling in-phase super-radiant emission that is orders of magnitude more intense than that of unbunched electrons. The periodic bunching is achieved in steps beginning with an array of beamlets emitted from a nanoengineered field emission array. The beamlets are then manipulated and converted to a longitudinal density modulation via a transverse to longitudinal emittance exchange. Periodic bunching at short wavelength is shown to be possible, and the partially coherent x-ray properties produced by Inverse Compton scattering from an intense laser are estimated for an example at 13 nm wavelength using a 1.5 MeV electron beam.