Improved approach to characterizing and presenting streak camera performance

Conference · Mon Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5557841

Wiedwald, J D; Jones, B A

The performance of a streak camera recording system is strongly linked to the technique used to amplify, detect and quantify the streaked image. At the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) streak camera images have been recorded both on film and by fiber-optically coupling to charge-coupled devices (CCD's). During the development of a new process for recording these images (lens coupling the image onto a cooled CCD) the definitions of important performance characteristics such as resolution and dynamic range were re-examined. As a result of this development, these performance characteristics are now presented to the streak camera user in a more useful format than in the past. This paper describes how these techniques are used within the Laser Fusion Program at LLNL. The system resolution is presented as a modulation transfer function, including the seldom reported effects that flare and light scattering have at low spatial frequencies. Data are presented such that a user can adjust image intensifier gain and pixel averaging to optimize the useful dynamic range in any particular application.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5557841
• Report Number(s): UCRL-92160; CONF-850887-8; ON: DE85015188
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700102* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Diagnostics
700208 -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Inertial Confinement Technology
AMPLIFICATION
GAIN
LASER TARGETS
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOGRAPHY
PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
STREAK PHOTOGRAPHY
TARGETS