High-resolution μCT of a mouse embryo using a compact laser-driven X-ray betatron source

In the field of X-ray microcomputed tomography (mu CT) there is a growing need to reduce acquisition times at high spatial resolution (approximate micrometers) to facilitate in vivo and high-throughput operations. The state of the art represented by synchrotron light sources is not practical for certain applications, and therefore the development of high-brightness laboratoryscale sources is crucial. We present here imaging of a fixed embryonic mouse sample using a compact laser-plasma-based X-ray light source and compare the results to images obtained using a commercial X-ray mu CT scanner. The radiation is generated by the betatron motion of electrons inside a dilute and transient plasma, which circumvents the flux limitations imposed by the solid or liquid anodes used in conventional electron-impact X-ray tubes. This X-ray source is pulsed (duration < 30 fs), bright (>10(10) photons per pulse), small (diameter < 1 mu m), and has a critical energy > 15 keV. Stable X-ray performance enabled tomographic imaging of equivalent quality to that of the mu CT scanner, an important confirmation of the suitability of the laser-driven source for applications. The X-ray flux achievable with this approach scales with the laser repetition rate without compromising the source size, which will allow the recording of high-resolution mu CT scans in minutes.