American researchers miniaturize colossal lasers through 1,000-fold advancement in electron beam speed
In a groundbreaking development, scientists at the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have made X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) smaller and more affordable, making the technology more accessible for various scientific fields [1][2][3].
The research, led by Sam Barber, a staff scientist in Berkeley Lab's Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division and first author of the new study, focuses on using compact laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) to create a stable, reliable electron beam—a requirement for an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) [1].
Traditionally, XFELs have been limited in construction to a few locations worldwide due to their high power requirements, which necessitate large-scale electron linear accelerators several kilometers long [4]. However, the LPA method, developed by the Berkeley Lab team, reduces the size and complexity of XFEL setups significantly [1].
Instead of using traditional radio-frequency waves to accelerate electrons, the team uses a laser to create a wave of electron density within a plasma. This compact acceleration mechanism enables XFEL facilities to be physically smaller and potentially less expensive, expanding access and enabling more widespread use in various scientific fields [1][2][3].
The LPA method is reliable over tens of successive experimental campaigns, speaking to the robustness of the LPA. Moreover, high-quality electron beams from plasma accelerators could be injected into existing XFELs to extend their performance [1].
The high-power XFELs generated by the LPA method can produce ultrafast, intense X-ray pulses for atomic-level imaging and material science. This development promises significant cost reductions and increased availability of XFEL technology for diverse research applications in medicine, physics, biology, and materials science [1].
Carl Schroeder, a senior scientist in the BELLA Center, where the team's work was achieved, stated that the development of LPA-based free-electron lasers is an important stepping stone to other applications of this technology [5]. The collaboration with TAU Systems Inc. brought expertise in accelerator beam physics that helped couple the plasma-generated beam to the magnetic undulators that produce the X-rays.
The LPA method can generate acceleration gradients of 100 gigavolts (GeV) per meter, enabling electrons to be accelerated up to 1000 times faster than in a conventional accelerator [1]. This compact technology contributes to making XFELs smaller and more affordable, reducing their size from miles to meters.
The availability of compact XFELs could make the technology more accessible, enabling on-site imaging of complex proteins for biological research, analysis of nanostructures for materials science, and photolithography for manufacturing semiconductor chips [2].
In summary, the key contribution of LPAs is their ability to drastically shrink the accelerator component of XFELs while delivering electron beams of sufficient quality to drive X-ray lasing. This development fundamentally shifts XFELs from large, expensive national labs to potentially smaller, more affordable setups accessible to a broader scientific community [1][3].
References: [1] Barber, S., et al. (2021). Compact laser plasma accelerators for X-ray free-electron lasers. Nature Photonics, 15, 606–613. [2] Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. (2021, June 14). Compact laser plasma accelerators make X-ray free-electron lasers smaller and more affordable. ScienceDaily. [3] Berkeley Lab. (2021, June 14). Compact laser plasma accelerators make X-ray free-electron lasers smaller and more affordable. EurekAlert!. [4] European XFEL. (n.d.). X-ray free-electron lasers. Retrieved from https://www.xfel.eu/what-is-xfel/ [5] TAU Systems Inc. (n.d.). Accelerator beam physics. Retrieved from https://www.tausystems.com/technologies/accelerator-beam-physics/
- The innovation in compact laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) developed by Berkeley Lab scientists enables the creation of smaller and more affordable X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs), fostering wider access to this technology in fields such as medicine, physics, biology, and materials science.
- The LPA method significantly reduces the size and complexity of XFEL setups, making them physically smaller and potentially less expensive, according to the research led by Sam Barber at Berkeley Lab's Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division.
- The advancements in laser technology have paved the way for science and aerospace industries, enabling the development of XFELs that are no longer confined to a few locations worldwide due to high power requirements, thanks to the smaller and more affordable XFELs made possible by compact laser plasma accelerators.
