Enhanced versatility of table-top X-rays from van der Waals structures

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that by adjusting the tilt angle and electron energy in van der Waals structures, the range of tunable, monochromatic X-ray sources can be significantly expanded, enabling more versatile applications.

Contribution

It introduces a method to double the photon energy range of vdW X-ray sources through tilt angle control, enhancing their tunability and potential applications.

Findings

Photon energy range more than doubled with tilt angle adjustment.

Simultaneous control of electron energy and tilt maximizes energy range.

Experimental and theoretical validation of the enhanced tunability.

Abstract

Van der Waals (vdW) materials have attracted much interest for their myriad unique electronic, mechanical and thermal properties. In particular, they are promising candidates for monochromatic, table-top X-ray sources. This work reveals that the versatility of the table-top vdW X-ray source goes beyond what has been demonstrated so far. By introducing a tilt angle between the vdW structure and the incident electron beam, it is theoretically and experimentally shown that the accessible photon energy range is more than doubled. This allows for greater versatility in real-time tuning of the vdW X-ray source. Furthermore, this work shows that the accessible photon energy range is maximized by simultaneously controlling both the electron energy and the vdW structure tilt. These results should pave the way for highly tunable, compact X-ray sources, with potential applications including hyperspectral X-ray fluoroscopy and X-ray quantum optics.