Coronary angiography using laser plasma sources: X-ray source efficiency and optimization of a bent crystal monochromator
A monochromator has been developed for coronary angiography, comprising a single bent crystal of silicon in Laue transmission geometry. K spectra of laser irradiated solid tin and tantalum (Z=50 and 73, respectively) targets were measured. The high resolution crystal spectrometer resolve the Sn and Ta K alpha doublets, allowing in a proof-of-principle experiment the absolute K alpha photon numbers
