Patent ID: 7835499

Claim:
A method for generating short picoseconds pulses of both X-rays and terahertz rays (T-rays) from a tube comprising the steps of: generating short, sub-ps laser beam pulses; generating photoelectrons from a photocathode irradiated with said laser beam pulses along an axis; accelerating said electrons to relativistic velocities; focusing the accelerated electrons down to sub-millimeter transverse dimensions; passing said electrons through a capillary tube partially loaded with dielectric material; coupling terahertz radiation from said tube using an antenna; redirecting the terahertz radiation away from said axis of the electron beam by means of a concave tilted mirror having a hole for electron beam passage; coupling the terahertz beam through a window placed adjacent the electron beam; refocusing the electron beam and directing the beam towards a high-Z target placed downstream from the incident electron beam; and generating short pulses of X-rays and gamma-rays with Bremstrahlung radiation by directing the electron beam onto said high-Z target.