Laser-generated plasmas as a source of x rays for medical applications

Abstract

High-resolution medical radiographs have been produced with a laser-generated plasma x-ray source. The nanosecond pulse width is capable of arresting biological motion. In addition, the soft x rays from this source have been transmitted through a new type of x-ray beam handling device, the x-ray pipe, which is an x-ray analogue of the conventional light pipe. This may allow new medical applications such as channeling soft x rays to internal locations of the body without damaging intervening tissue.