Photon flux and spectrum of [formula omitted] Compton sources

Abstract

We analyze the characteristics of the γ radiation produced by Compton back-scattering of a high brightness electron beam produced by a photoinjector and accelerated in a linac up to energies of 360–720MeV and a laser operated at about 500nm, by comparing classical and quantum models and codes. The interaction produces γ rays in the range 4.9–18.8MeV. In view of the application to nuclear resonance fluorescence a relative bandwidth of few 10−3 is needed. The bandwidth is reduced by taking advantage of the frequency–angular correlation typical of the phenomenon and selecting the radiation in an angle of tens of μrads. The foreseen spectral density is 20–6 photons per eV in a single shot, a number that can be increased by developing multi-bunch techniques and laser recirculation. In this way a final value of 104 photon per eV per second can be achieved.