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Description
Betatron radiation is X-ray radiation generated by electrons oscillating within a plasma during the Laser WakeField Acceleration (LWFA) process. The relativistic laser-plasma interaction replicates the principle of wiggler emission on a millimeter scale.
Betatron sources stand between Free Electron Lasers (FELs) and synchrotron radiation sources. Due to the small transverse size of the source—on the order of a few microns—the emitted radiation is spatially coherent. Like a synchrotron, the spectrum is broadband and ranges from soft to hard X-rays while maintaining comparable peak brilliance. Additionally, the pulse duration can be as short as a few femtoseconds.
As part of the EuPRAXIA project, EuAPS (EuPRAXIA Advanced Photon Source) will be the first user dedicated betatron radiation source developed at INFN Frascati. The facility is designed to produce 1-10 keV photons using a compact laser-driven plasma accelerator, operating at 1 Hz and generating about $10^6-10^9$ photons per shot.
The beamline will be operational by the end of 2025 and will enable a variety of experiments, including time-resolved spectroscopy, phase-contrast imaging of biological samples, and pump–probe experiments.