System and method for producing pulsed monochromatic X-rays

A system for generating an X-ray pulse, comprising:

• an electron beam source configured to direct a pulse of electrons at a beam interaction zone, the pulse of electrons having a predetermined electron pulse charge of at least one nanocoulomb and a predetermined electron pulse length less than approximately ten picoseconds;
• and
• a laser beam source configured to direct an optical pulse of photons at the beam interaction zone the optical pulse having a predetermined optical pulse length of less than approximately ten picoseconds and a predetermined optical pulse energy level of less than approximately ten joules, the system configured such that when operational, the electrons in the electron pulse collide with the photons in the optical pulse at the beam interaction zone, the collision producing a pulse of approximately monochromatic X-ray photons, the pulse of approximately monochromatic X-ray photons having a predetermined pulse length of less than approximately ten picoseconds and a predetermined flux of at least approximately 109 photons per pulse.

A system for generating an X-ray pulse, comprising:

• an electron source configured to direct a pulse of electrons at an interaction zone;
• and
• a photon source configured to direct a pulse of photons at the interaction zone, the system configured such that when operational, the election source is sufficiently synchronized in time and duration with the photon source to cause a collision of the pulse of electrons and the pulse of photons in the interaction zone, the collision producing the X-ray pulse.