Commissioning and First Results From Channeling Radiation At FAST

TL;DR

This paper reports on the development and initial testing of a channeling radiation X-ray source driven by a 50 MeV electron beam at FAST, demonstrating potential for high-brilliance, narrowband hard X-rays.

Contribution

First experimental demonstration of channeling radiation at FAST with optimized beam parameters achieving higher brilliance than previous efforts.

Findings

Simulated X-ray spectra including bremsstrahlung background

Optimized electron-beam parameters for maximum brilliance

Experimental results showing increased brilliance at FAST

Abstract

X-rays have widespread applications in science and industry, but developing a simple, compact, and high-quality X-ray source remains a challenge. Our collaboration has explored the possible use of channeling radiation driven by a 50 MeV low-emittance electron beam to produce narrowband hard X-rays with photon energy of 40 to 140 keV. Here we present the simulated X-ray spectra including the background bremsstrahlung contribution, and a description of the required optimization of the relevant electron-beam parameters necessary to maximize brilliance of the resulting X-ray beam. Results are presented from our test of this, carried out at the Fermilab Accelerator Science & Technology (FAST) facility's 50-MeV low-energy electron injector. As a result of the beam parameters, made possible by the photo-injector based SRF linac, the average brilliance at FAST was expected to be about one order of magnitude higher than that in previous experiments.