Sub-nanosecond time-resolved radiation measurement using x-ray focusing crystal spectrometers

Journal Article · 28 August 2023 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0150183 · OSTI ID:2439474

Elshafiey, A. T.  ^[1]; Chalmers, N. G.  ^[2]; Pikuz, S. A.  ^[3]; Shelkovenko, T. A.  ^[3]; Hammer, D. A.  ^[2]

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1. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)
3. Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Moscow (Russian Federation). P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute

Here, in this paper, we describe a technique using a crystal spectrometer, a silicon-diode detector, and a filtered photoconductive detector to monitor photon energies in the L-shell (0.9–1 keV) and K-shell regimes for nickel and copper hybrid X-pinch x-ray sources. The detectors, system cabling, and an 8 GHz digital oscilloscope in combination enable time resolution better than 200 ps for photoconductive detectors and 700 ps for silicon-diode detectors of the K- and L-shell radiation signals, respectively. We substantially improve the relative timing of signals obtained using the oscilloscope by using an x-ray streak camera with a crystal spectrometer to monitor the L-shell line spectra and, separately, the K-shell line spectra relative to the continuum burst to better than 17 ps time resolution. This combination of instruments enabled and validated a new method by which plasma conditions in nickel and copper X-pinches can be assessed immediately before and after the ~30 ps continuum x-ray burst produced by 370 kA hybrid X-pinches. In general, the method described here can be applied to observe otherwise highly filter-absorbed radiation in the presence of a broad spectrum of higher energy radiation by combining x-ray crystals and detectors.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001; NA0004027; NA0003764; SC0018088
• OSTI ID: 2439474
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--24-20727
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 94; ISSN 0034-6748
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English