A second-generation x-ray streak camera with true large format, high dynamic range, and high reliability

Abstract

This paper will review the specifications, test and experiment performance features of Bechtel Nevada's Phase 2 X-ray Streak Camera (P2XSC). The P2XSC was developed to meet stringent inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and high energy density (HED) science requirements for experiments at Omega laser facility at Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), and National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The paper reports recent progress in developing a large format, high dynamic range, and high-reliability Xray streak camera at Bechtel Nevada. We have designed, built, and tested an advanced X-ray camera. Bechtel Nevada's P2XSC substantially outperforms first generation streak cameras developed over a decade ago. Recent laboratory tests of P2XSC show that the channel dynamic range reaches 6000, the resolution reaches 50 micrometers at the photocathode (6~7 pixels at the image plane) at deep ultraviolet (UV) input wavelength, and 35 micrometers (4~5 pixels) at X-ray wavelength. The image resolution varies less than 30% across the photocathode. However, the 50 mm photocathode has a usable length of approximately 34 mm due to charge coupled device (CCD) camera limitations. The total number of resolution elements is approximately 900 in both spatial and temporal directions. The P2XSC is integrated into a compact airbox enclosure compatible with the ten-inch manipulator (TIM) specifications at LLE, Omega. The system is remotely controllable. The P2XSC system has been operated in the airbox for several thousands of shots for tests at Bechtel Nevada calibration facilities in Livermore and at the LLNL Janus laser facility. High-resolution data will be shown.