Quantitative measurement of x-ray images with a gated microchannel plate system in a z -pinch plasma experiment

• Published in: Review of scientific instruments 1999-03, Vol.70 (3), p.1688-1693
• Main Authors: Shan, Bing, Yanagidaira, Takeshi, Shimoda, Katsuji, Hirano, Katsumi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0034-6748; 1089-7623
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1149652

A multiframe, gated pinhole system capable of quantitative acquisition for pulsed soft x rays is described and tested. The system based on a gated microchannel plate (MCP) is employed to observe the evolution of z-pinch plasma in a plasma focus facility with a time resolution of ∼220 ps. The quantitative relationship between x-ray source intensity and the recorded images has been investigated. To make a quantitative measurement, the phosphor screen current was measured to calculate the total electrons output from the MCP, which is proportional to both the incident x-ray intensity and the intensity of the recorded images. Furthermore, by taking into account the pinhole geometry, MCP gain and system spectral response, a quantitative calibration of the x-ray images has been established. We have employed the system to observe the plasma evolution in a plasma focus facility. An order of ∼10 16   photons/(s mm 2  mrad 2 ) soft x-ray emission within 6–14 Å was observed in a neon puffed experiment with time resolved four successive frames.