Single Shot Radiography Using an All-optical Compton Backscattering Source

The development of compact laser-based synchrotron sources is a field of active research. Here we present recent results on an all-optical Compton backscattering source using laser-accelerated electrons and a plasma mirror, as introduced in [K. Ta Phuoc et al., Nature Photonics 6 (5) (2012) 308-311].Scattering of quasi-monoenergetic electrons of up to 200 MeV energy with their proper drive-beam leads to emission of femtosecond X-ray pulses, whose energies exceed 100 keV. We demonstrate that the photon yield from the source is sufficient to illuminate a centimeter-size sample placed 90 centimeters behind the source.