Automated computer analysis of x-ray radiographs greatly facilitates measurement of coating thickness variations in laser fusion targets
We have built an automated system to analyze x-ray radiographs of laser fusion targets which greatly facilitates the detection of coating thickness variations. Many laser fusion targets require opaque coatings 1 to 20 ..mu..m thick which have been deposited on small glass balloons 100 to 500 ..mu..m in diameter. These coatings must be uniformly thick to 1% for the targets to perform optimally. Our system is designed to detect variations as small as 100 A in 1-..mu..m-thick coatings by converting the optical density variations of contact x-ray radiographs into coating thickness variations. Radiographic images are recorded in HRP emulsions and magnified by an optical microscope, imaged onto television camera, digitized and processed on a Data General S/230 computer with a code by Whitman. After an initial set-up by the operator, as many as 200 targets will be automatically characterized.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5522745
- Journal Information:
- J. Vac. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 20:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
LASER TARGETS
COATINGS
X-RAY RADIOGRAPHY
AUTOMATION
DEFECTS
DENSITOMETERS
GLASS
MICROSPHERES
THICKNESS
VARIATIONS
DIMENSIONS
INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PHOTOMETERS
TARGETS
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