Generation of hard x rays by ultrafast terawatt lasers

A compact, tabletop terawatt Ti:sapphire laser drive, ultrafast hard x-ray source for time-resolved x-ray diffraction studies is described. With a copper target the energy conversion efficiency from laser photons (800 nm) to copper K x-ray radiation (1.54 Angstrom) is 0.008%. The optimal laser intensity for generating these x rays is 10(18) W cm(-2), lower than the highest laser intensity available (5x10(18) W cm(-2)) from the laser system. These results are consistent with a theoretical model proposed on the basis that the x rays are produced as a result of laser driven electron ionization of core level electrons of Cu atoms near room temperature. This source also provides features such as ultrashort pulse duration, extremely small source size, variable wavelengths, high peak spectral brightness, and the potential for multiple beam line experiments. X-ray diffraction patterns from GaAs single crystals and amorphous Ni films recorded with this source are presented. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.