Physicists use laser generated muons to image hidden objects for first time

Physicists in Romania have used a beam of artificially produced muons to image a structure for the first time, Physics World reported. The accomplishment builds on a demonstration from last year that established the first laser-based muon source. This new development raises hopes that muon-based imaging can become more broadly accessible for dense structures that cannot be examined using traditional X-ray techniques. [1]

Muons are subatomic particles with a much larger mass than electrons, which are their lighter cousins. Because of this larger mass, muons can penetrate deeper into thick and dense materials than is possible with conventional electron tomography or standard X-ray radiography. [1]

Muon tomography, also known as muography, is a technique that typically relies on cosmic ray muons to produce two- or three-dimensional images of volumes. The method relies on information contained in the Coulomb scattering of the particles as they pass through matter. At the surface of the Earth, natural muon flux measures approximately one muon passing through an area the size of a human hand every second. [2]

Because naturally occurring cosmic ray muons arrive in limited quantities, conventional muography is most often restricted to imaging very large-scale structures, such as archaeological sites. Producing artificial muon beams with lasers may allow scientists to probe thick, dense objects in controlled settings without waiting for natural background particles. [1][2]