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Optimization of laser-based synchrotron X-ray for plant imaging

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Abstract

X-ray computed tomography of plants requires a high number of X-ray photons, good source stability, and a large field of view. We show that we can optimize a laser-based synchrotron X-ray source for this application. The X-ray beam is produced during electron acceleration by laser wakefield. These results were obtained using 160 TW on-target laser peak power, \(4.6\times 10^{19}\,\text {W cm}^{-2}\) laser pulse intensity, and nitrogen gas target. We measured a critical energy \(\sim\) 15 keV, enough X-ray photons to realize an image with one single laser shot, more than 50 mrad divergence, a good shot to shot stability and spatial distribution homogeneity required for tomography imaging. The gas jet target pressure is low enough to use the laser system at the laser nominal repetition rate (2.5 Hz). We produced a micrometer X-ray source size that allows high resolution (< 20 \(\upmu\)m) and phase contrast imaging.

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Acknowledgements

We thank ALLS technical team: Guy Lebrun, Joël Maltais, Stéphane Payeur, and Léonard Pelletier for the excellent support and help. We thank Dr. Raju Soolanayakanahally, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon (Saskatchewan), and Dr. Mike Dixon and Newton Tran, Controlled Environment System Research Facility, University of Guelph (Ontario) for providing the poplars and for discussions. We acknowledge Dr S. MacLean for his support and for discussions. The ALLS facility was funded and supported by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Institute for Quantum Computing (Ontario), University of Waterloo (Ontario), INRS, and Ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation (MESI) from Québec. This work is funded by CFI, NSERC, the Canada Research Chair program, and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund through the Plant Phenotyping Imaging Research Centre from the Global Institute for Food Security and University of Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, Université du Québec (INRS-EMT), 1650 Lionel Boulet, Varennes, QC, J3X 1S2, Canada

    S. Fourmaux & J. C. Kieffer

  2. Global Institute for Food Security, 110 Gymnasium Place, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 4J8, Canada

    E. Hallin & P. G. Arnison

  3. Botanical Alternatives Inc., 8B-3110 8th Street E, Saskatoon, SK, S7H 0W2, Canada

    P. G. Arnison

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  1. S. Fourmaux
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Fourmaux, S., Hallin, E., Arnison, P.G. et al. Optimization of laser-based synchrotron X-ray for plant imaging. Appl. Phys. B 125, 34 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-019-7144-9

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