skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: An Optical Streak Diagnostic for Observing Anode-Cathode Plasmas for Radiographic Source Development

Abstract

National Security Technologies, LLC, and Sandia National Laboratories are collaborating in the development of pulsed power–driven flash x-ray radiographic sources that utilize high-intensity electron beam diodes. The RITS 6 (Radiographic Integrated Test Stand) accelerator at Sandia is used to drive a self magnetic pinch diode to produce a Bremsstrahlung x-ray source. The high electric fields and current densities associated with these short A-K gap pinch beam diodes present many challenges in diode development. Plasmas generated at both the anode and cathode affect the diode performance, which is manifested in varying spot (source) sizes, total dose output, and impedance profiles. Understanding the nature of these plasmas including closure rates and densities is important in modeling their behavior and providing insight into their mitigation. In this paper we describe a streak camera–based optical diagnostic that is capable of observing and measuring plasma evolution within the A-K gap. By imaging a region of interest onto the input slit of a streak camera, we are able to produce a time-resolved one-dimensional image of the evolving plasma. Typical data are presented.

Authors:
 [1]; ;  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. National Security Technologies, LLC
  2. Sandia National Laboratories
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Nevada Test Site (NTS), Mercury, NV (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1087682
Report Number(s):
DOE/NV/25946-1802
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC52-06NA25946
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 19th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference and 40th IEEE International Conference of Plasma Science (ICOPS), June 16-20, 2013, San Francisco, California
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; radiographic diode, optical streak, diagnostic

Citation Formats

Droemer, Darryl W., Crain, Marlon D., Lare, Gregory A., Bennett, Nichelle L., and Johnston, Mark D. An Optical Streak Diagnostic for Observing Anode-Cathode Plasmas for Radiographic Source Development. United States: N. p., 2013. Web.
Droemer, Darryl W., Crain, Marlon D., Lare, Gregory A., Bennett, Nichelle L., & Johnston, Mark D. An Optical Streak Diagnostic for Observing Anode-Cathode Plasmas for Radiographic Source Development. United States.
Droemer, Darryl W., Crain, Marlon D., Lare, Gregory A., Bennett, Nichelle L., and Johnston, Mark D. 2013. "An Optical Streak Diagnostic for Observing Anode-Cathode Plasmas for Radiographic Source Development". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1087682.
@article{osti_1087682,
title = {An Optical Streak Diagnostic for Observing Anode-Cathode Plasmas for Radiographic Source Development},
author = {Droemer, Darryl W. and Crain, Marlon D. and Lare, Gregory A. and Bennett, Nichelle L. and Johnston, Mark D.},
abstractNote = {National Security Technologies, LLC, and Sandia National Laboratories are collaborating in the development of pulsed power–driven flash x-ray radiographic sources that utilize high-intensity electron beam diodes. The RITS 6 (Radiographic Integrated Test Stand) accelerator at Sandia is used to drive a self magnetic pinch diode to produce a Bremsstrahlung x-ray source. The high electric fields and current densities associated with these short A-K gap pinch beam diodes present many challenges in diode development. Plasmas generated at both the anode and cathode affect the diode performance, which is manifested in varying spot (source) sizes, total dose output, and impedance profiles. Understanding the nature of these plasmas including closure rates and densities is important in modeling their behavior and providing insight into their mitigation. In this paper we describe a streak camera–based optical diagnostic that is capable of observing and measuring plasma evolution within the A-K gap. By imaging a region of interest onto the input slit of a streak camera, we are able to produce a time-resolved one-dimensional image of the evolving plasma. Typical data are presented.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1087682}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jun 13 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Thu Jun 13 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}

Conference:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this conference proceeding.

Save / Share: