Thesis

Design study into a very high temporal resolution (<10 ps), 2D imaging, modular UV and X-ray diagnostic : the Orion Time Dilation Imager (TIDI)

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2013
Thesis identifier
  • T13714
Qualification Level
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Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • This Thesis details a design study into a new diagnostic of X-ray emission of intense laser-plasma interaction, the Orion Time Dilation Imager (TIDI). The principles behind the novel technique of pulse-dilation (the acceleration of a photoelectron, based on time-dilating a pulse by a time-varying potential, which results in velocity dispersion of the pulse traversing a drift region and causes image temporal magnification), are reported and analysed to inform the design decisions. Research is also performed into the initial use of pulse-dilation on the Dilation X-ray Imager (DIXI) instrument, which has been fielded and characterized on NIF, and the design considerations for developing a device capable of very high temporal resolution (<10 ps), 2D imaging of laser-plasma experiments. The scope for utilising TIDI in previously unobtainable regimes in HED physics experiments is assessed. Experimental applications are identified and described, and their compatibility with a proposed design for TIDI is explored. Three key experimental applications are: Time resolved broadband x-ray diffraction, time resolved point-projection spectroscopy, and UV colour temperature measurements. The design constraints are explained and justified, including; the necessity of a modular design for UV and x-ray sensitivity, ensuring compatibility of the device with a Ten-Inch Manipulator (TIM) as used on the Orion target chamber at AWE, and the benefits and trade-offs of critical design parameters. Experimental work to characterise an optical arrangement similar to one which would be used for the UV colour temperature measurements is reported. The optical pyrometry set up was characterised for the Orion target chamber and found to perform as expected. The system provided very high optical resolution (~1μm), a wide unvignetted field of view of ~0.5mm at a magnification of 12.5x. The colour correction of the system showed no significant aberrations. Other sources of image degradation were tested and found to be not significant.
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  • Strathclyde theses - ask staff. Thesis no. : T13714
DOI
Date Created
  • 2013
Former identifier
  • 1031740

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