Coherent backscattering in the soft x-ray region

Abstract

It is shown that coherent polarized soft x-rays can be produced by a combination of two techniques - stimulated amplification of laser light in a magnetic undulator, and Compton scattering of laser photons on an electron beam. In the combined technique, laser radiation is Compton scattered from a relativistic electron beam, whose current or charge density is periodically modulated. An electron beam and a laser beam propagate through an undulator along the same line. Inside the undulator, the laser electromagnetic waste produces a modulation of the electron energy. After some drift space, the modulation of the electron energy transforms into a modulation of the beam longitudinal charge density. The laser photons are reflected by a concave mirror against the electrons and are backscattered. In the process, their energy is greatly increased. If the electron and laser photon energy are matched properly, the modulated electron beam may act as a moving diffraction grating, and the backscattered x-rays show a high degree of coherence. The mechanism of modulation is described. The effects of electron beam energy spread, finite electron beam emittance, and undulator imperfections are discussed. The theory of scattering of a light wave by a bunched electron beam and the propertiesmore » of the scattered radiation are examined. (LEW)« less