Speaker: Dr.
Physics Division, Subatomic Physics-P-25, LANL
Ultrafast imaging technology: from visible light to high-energy X-ray photons
Abstract:
We are now in the era of ultrafast imaging, which is the ability to observe transient events with a time duration no longer than 100 ps (one billionth of the time for eye blinking). Innovative methods have demonstrated photography at the mind-bending speed of one trillion frames per second. Several recent advances make ultrafast imaging possible: ultrashort lasers and X-rays for illumination, abilities to harvest ultrafast responses in materials for efficient photon and electron detection, innovative ways to store and process data. It will be shown that ultrafast imaging technology is a natural fit to mesoscopic science. Meanwhile, ultrafast imaging technology also permits photography of macroscopic objects around the corner or hidden away from the direct line of sight. One recent LANL interest in ultrafast high-energy X-ray imaging is driven by MaRIE. Some material challenges will be highlighted towards a GHz frame-rate burst mode camera for photons at above 30 keV energies.