A COHERENT X-RAY SOURCE USING TRANSITION RADIATION

BY DESIGNING TRANSITION RADIATORS SUCH THAT THERE IS UNIFORM FOIL THICKNESS AND SPACING, THE ANGLE OF EMISSION CAN BE REDUCED AND THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE X-RAY SOURCE INCREASED. UNDER THIS CONTRACT WE WILL CALCULATE THE BRIGHTNESS OF THIS SOURCE AND COMPARE IT TO SYNCHROTRON EMITTERS. IN ADDITION WE WILL INVESTIGATE METHODS FOR REDUCING THE ELECTRON BEAM ENERGY REQUIRED FOR THE PROCESS TO OCCUR. METHODS OF NARROWING THE BANDWIDTH OF THE SOURCE WILL BE STUDIED. THESE INCLUDE ANTENNA-ARRAY SYNTHESIS AND PHOTOABSORPTION EDGE TRUNCATION OF THE SPECTRUM. THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF ELECTRON SCATTERING AND HIGHER MODE PROLIFERATION WILL BE ALSO STUDIED. THE GOAL OF THIS WORK IS TO ESTABLISH THE COMMERCIAL FEASIBILITY OF A COMPACT, QUASIMONOCHROMATIC, COLLIMATED X-RAY SOURCE USING TRANSITION RADIATION AND A MODERATE ENERGY ELECTRON BEAM SOURCE.