Improvement of photon energy at X-ray free-electron lasers using plasma-based afterburner

Liu Letian; Ma Qianyi; Xia Yuhui; Wang Zhenan; Chen Yuekai; Yang Zhiyan; Cai Dongchi; Xu Zewei; Tang Ziyao; Hu Jianghao; An Weiming; Feng Chao; Yan Xueqing; Xu Xinlu

doi:10.1063/5.0272184

Volume 10 Issue 4

Jul. 2025

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Article Navigation > Matter and Radiation at Extremes > 2025 > 10(4): 047202

Liu Letian, Ma Qianyi, Xia Yuhui, Wang Zhenan, Chen Yuekai, Yang Zhiyan, Cai Dongchi, Xu Zewei, Tang Ziyao, Hu Jianghao, An Weiming, Feng Chao, Yan Xueqing, Xu Xinlu. Improvement of photon energy at X-ray free-electron lasers using plasma-based afterburner[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2025, 10(4): 047202. doi: 10.1063/5.0272184

Citation:

Liu Letian, Ma Qianyi, Xia Yuhui, Wang Zhenan, Chen Yuekai, Yang Zhiyan, Cai Dongchi, Xu Zewei, Tang Ziyao, Hu Jianghao, An Weiming, Feng Chao, Yan Xueqing, Xu Xinlu. Improvement of photon energy at X-ray free-electron lasers using plasma-based afterburner[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2025, 10(4): 047202. doi: 10.1063/5.0272184

Citation:

Liu Letian, Ma Qianyi, Xia Yuhui, Wang Zhenan, Chen Yuekai, Yang Zhiyan, Cai Dongchi, Xu Zewei, Tang Ziyao, Hu Jianghao, An Weiming, Feng Chao, Yan Xueqing, Xu Xinlu. Improvement of photon energy at X-ray free-electron lasers using plasma-based afterburner[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2025, 10(4): 047202. doi: 10.1063/5.0272184

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Improvement of photon energy at X-ray free-electron lasers using plasma-based afterburner

doi: 10.1063/5.0272184

Liu Letian^1
,,
Ma Qianyi¹,
Xia Yuhui¹,
Wang Zhenan^1
,,
Chen Yuekai¹,
Yang Zhiyan^1
,,
Cai Dongchi^1
,,
Xu Zewei^1
,,
Tang Ziyao¹,
Hu Jianghao^1
,,
An Weiming^{2, 3
,},
Feng Chao⁴,
Yan Xueqing^{1, 5, 6
,},
Xu Xinlu^{1, 5
,
,}

1.
State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, and Key Laboratory of HEDP of the Ministry of Education, CLAPA, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
2.
School of Physics and Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai St., Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
3.
Institute for Frontiers in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing Normal University, Changping District, Beijing 102206, China
4.
Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
5.
Beijing Laser Acceleration Innovation Center, Huairou, Beijing 100871, China
6.
Institute of Guangdong Laser Plasma Technology, Baiyun, Guangzhou 510540, China

More Information

Corresponding author: a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: xuxinlu@pku.edu.cn
Received Date: 2025-03-22
Accepted Date: 2025-06-03

Available Online: 2025-11-28

Publish Date: 2025-07-01

Abstract

Abstract

X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) can generate bright X-ray pulses with short durations and narrow bandwidths, leading to extensive applications in many disciplines such as biology, materials science, and ultrafast science. Recently, there has been a growing demand for X-ray pulses with high photon energy, especially from developments in “diffraction-before-destruction” applications and in dynamic mesoscale materials science. Here, we propose utilizing the electron beams at XFELs to drive a meter-scale two-bunch plasma wakefield accelerator and double the energy of the accelerated beam in a compact and inexpensive way. Particle-in-cell simulations are performed to study the beam quality degradation under different beam loading scenarios and nonideal issues, and the results show that more than half of the accelerated beam can meet the requirements of XFELs. After its transport to the undulator, the accelerated beam can improve the photon energy to 22 keV by a factor of around four while maintaining the peak power, thus offering a promising pathway toward high-photon-energy XFELs.

Conflict of Interest
The authors have no conflicts to disclose.
Letian Liu: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (lead); Formal analysis (lead); Investigation (lead); Methodology (lead); Visualization (lead); Writing – original draft (lead); Writing – review & editing (equal). Qianyi Ma: Conceptualization (equal); Investigation (equal). Yuhui Xia: Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal). Zhenan Wang: Investigation (equal). Yuekai Chen: Methodology (equal); Software (supporting). Zhiyan Yang: Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal). Dongchi Cai: Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal). Zewei Xu: Investigation (equal); Writing – review & editing (supporting). Ziyao Tang: Methodology (equal). Jianghao Hu: Investigation (equal). Weiming An: Software (lead); Writing – review & editing (equal). Chao Feng: Writing – review & editing (equal). Xueqing Yan: Funding acquisition (equal); Supervision (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). Xinlu Xu: Conceptualization (lead); Formal analysis (equal); Funding acquisition (equal); Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal); Resources (lead); Supervision (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal).
Author Contributions
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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References(52)

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