Method and apparatus for generating laser plasma x-rays
US5606588A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 28, 1995 |
| Grant date | Feb 25, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 28, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/10
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and an apparatus to produce x-rays from plasmas by focusing an intense, short duration optical pulse from a laser onto a target. The concentrated energy contained in the focused laser beam ionizes the target material, raising it to a temperature at which ions are produced in a chain reaction ionization, and x-rays are emitted when ions become de-excited (their electrons change energy level) or free electrons recombine with the ions in the plasma. The method comprises controlling pulse time duration of x-rays emitted from a plasma-forming target by generating a beam of one or more laser pulses; adjusting the intensity of the laser pulse to obtain a desired intensity incident at a surface of the plasma-forming target matter; directing the laser pulse onto the surface of the plasma-forming matter to generate the x-rays having a pulse duration which changes in proportion to a change in the incident laser pulse intensity. In one embodiment, the x-rays are then directed onto a sample target.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.