Single-Shot Multi-keV X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy Using an Ultrashort Laser-Wakefield Accelerator Source

Single-shot absorption measurements have been performed using the multi-keV x rays generated by alaser-wakefield accelerator. A 200 TW laser was used to drive a laser-wakefield accelerator in a modewhich produced broadband electron beams with a maximum energy above 1 GeVand a broad divergence of ≈15mrad FWHM. Betatron oscillations of these electrons generated1.2 0.2×106photons=eV in the5 keV region, with a signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 300∶1. This was sufficient to allow high-resolution x-ray absorption near-edge structure measurements at theKedge of a titanium sample in a singleshot. We demonstrate that this source is capable of single-shot, simultaneous measurements of both theelectron and ion distributions in matter heated to eV temperatures by comparison with density functionaltheory simulations. The unique combination of a high-flux, large bandwidth, few femtosecond durationx-ray pulse synchronized to a high-power laser will enable key advances in the study of ultrafast energeticprocesses such as electron-ion equilibration.