Neutron penumbral imaging of inertial confinement fusion targets at Phébusa)

Abstract

First 14 MeV neutron images of imploded microballoons have been obtained at the Phébus laser facility at CEL-V in 1992 [Garconnet et al. Laser Part Beams 11, 3 (1994)]. The sizes of the neutron source have been measured by using a coded-aperture imaging system and a scintillator array as a detector. The threshold of the experimental setup was typically 2×1010 neutrons/shot. 600–800 μm source sizes in direct drive experiments have been measured with a 130 μm two-point resolution. In 1993 we improved the sensitivity of the camera by increasing the light collection efficiency. It can now work at a neutron yield as small as a few 108. Thanks to this improvement some images in indirect drive experiments have been recorded in the range 3×108–5×109 with a 56 μm two-point resolution. Wiener filter, homomorphic Wiener filter, and Nugent’s ‘‘comb filter’’ methods have been used and compared to deconvolve the penumbral images. Design of the camera and numerical method performances will be discussed.