One intense laser pulse can produce X-rays and neutrons at the same time to see through solid objects.
April 20, 2026
Original Paper
Simultaneous PW-scale laser driven MeV X-ray and neutron beam characterization for dual radiography capability
arXiv · 2604.15365
The Takeaway
Dual radiography usually requires two separate, bulky machines to capture both the internal structure and the material composition of an object. This experiment used a petawatt-scale laser to blast a target and generate high-energy X-rays and neutrons simultaneously. The X-rays provide a clear image of the physical shape, while the neutrons reveal exactly what elements are inside. This single-shot capability allows scientists to record high-speed events like nuclear reactions or structural failures in real time. It offers a powerful new tool for inspecting industrial components and exploring the physics of extreme environments. This means we can now take a complete chemical and structural snapshot of an explosion as it happens.
From the abstract
Laser-driven, high-brilliance secondary sources (electrons, ions, neutrons, X-rays) open new perspectives for compact material probing and imaging of high-speed events. A key advantage is their ability to perform multiplexed probing, as these sources are generated simultaneously in a single shot using a single laser beam. Here, we report the first quantitative measurements of photon spectra (0.1--100 MeV) and angular distributions in the petawatt interaction regime, using an ultra-intense ($>10^