A laser driven pulsed X-ray backscatter technique for enhanced penetrative imaging

Deas, R.M. and Wilson, L.A. and Rusby, D. and Alejo, A. and Allott, R. and Black, P.P. and Black, S.E. and Borghesi, M. and Brenner, C.M. and Bryant, J. and Clarke, R.J. and Collier, J.C. and Edwards, B. and Foster, P. and Greenhalgh, J. and Hernandez-Gomez, C. and Kar, S. and Lockley, D. and Moss, R.M. and Najmudin, Z. and Pattathil, R. and Symes, D. and Whittle, M.D. and Wood, J.C. and McKenna, P. and Neely, D. (2015) A laser driven pulsed X-ray backscatter technique for enhanced penetrative imaging. Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology, 23 (6). pp. 791-797. ISSN 1095-9114 (https://doi.org/10.3233/XST-150520)

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Abstract

X-ray backscatter imaging can be used for a wide range of imaging applications, in particular for industrial inspection and portal security. Currently, the application of this imaging technique to the detection of landmines is limited due to the surrounding sand or soil strongly attenuating the 10s to 100s of keV X-rays required for backscatter imaging. Here, we introduce a new approach involving a 140 MeV short-pulse (< 100 fs) electron beam generated by laser wakefield acceleration to probe the sample, which produces Bremsstrahlung X-rays within the sample enabling greater depths to be imaged. A variety of detector and scintillator configurations are examined, with the best time response seen from an absorptive coated BaF2 scintillator with a bandpass filter to remove the slow scintillation emission components. An X-ray backscatter image of an array of different density and atomic number items is demonstrated. The use of a compact laser wakefield accelerator to generate the electron source, combined with the rapid development of more compact, efficient and higher repetition rate high power laser systems will make this system feasible for applications in the field.

  • Item type:Article
    ID code:55287
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    17 December 2015
    Published
    21 August 2015
    Accepted
    Subjects:Science > Physics
    Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:11 Jan 2016 11:20
    Last modified:22 Apr 2024 00:30
    Related URLs:
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/55287
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