Synchronization Of Streak And Framing Camera Measurements Of An Intense Relativistic Electron Beam Propagating Through Gas

Abstract

The expansion of the radius of a 5 MeV, 20 kA, 40 ns electron beam from SuperIBEX during propagation through gas is being measured. The beam is generated, conditions, equilibrated, and then passed through a thin foil that produces Cherenkov light, which is recorded by a streak camera. At a second location, the beam hits another Cherenkov emitter, which is viewed by a framing camera. Measurements at these two locations can provide a time-resolved measure of the beam expansion. The two measurements, however, must be synchronized with each other, because the beam radius is not constant throughout the pulse due to variations in beam current and energy. To correlate the timing of the two diagnostics, several shots have been taken with both diagnostics viewing Cherenkov light from the same foil. Experimental measurements of the Cherenkov light from one foil viewed by both diagnostics will be presented to demonstrate the feasibility of correlating the diagnostics with each other. Streak camera data showing the optical fiducial, as well as the final correlation of the two diagnostics, will also be presented. Preliminary beam radius measurements from Cherenkov light measured at two locations will be shown.