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Polychromators are most frequently used in Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostics to analyze the scattered light spectrum and intensity so that the plasma electron temperature (Te) and density (ne) can be derived. For Te measurements, the spectral response of the polychromator channels and the relative spectral responsivities need to be calibrated. The spectral response is calibrated with a bromine tungsten lamp and a monochromator in a conventional way. A novel method for calibrating the relative spectral responsivities of the polychromators is described in detail. A broadband pulsed Light Emission Diode (LED) is used, which has a spectral irradiance similar to that of the TS spectrum, and the LED can be driven in pulse mode with the pulse width similar to the TS signal pulse width of about 10–20 ns full width at half maximum. This new method allows for the calibration to be done after the polychromator is fully installed, and in situ system calibration can be easily performed, showing the advantages of accuracy, simplicity, efficiency, and flexibility. For ne measurements, absolute sensitivity calibration is done by Rayleigh scattering with argon gas. Formulas for calculating the plasma density from the calibration data and the polychromator signals from the off-laser wavelength channels are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high sensitivity multi-channel far infrared laser diagnostics with switchable interferometry and polarimetry operation modes for the advanced neutral beam-driven C-2U field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas is described. The interferometer achieved superior resolution of 1 × 1016 m-2 at >1.5 MHz bandwidth, illustrated by measurement of small amplitude high frequency fluctuations. The polarimetry achieved 0.04° instrument resolution and 0.1° actual resolution in the challenging high density gradient environment with >0.5 MHz bandwidth, making it suitable for weak internal magnetic field measurements in the C-2U plasmas, where the maximum Faraday rotation angle is less than 1°. The polarimetry resolution data is analyzed, and high resolution Faraday rotation data in C-2U is presented together with direct evidences of field reversal in FRC magnetic structure obtained for the first time by a non-perturbative method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the prior C-2 experiment, electron density was measured using a two-color 6-chord CO2HeNe interferometer. Analysis shows that high-frequency common mode phase noise can be reduced by a factor of 3 by constructing a reference chord. In the system upgrade from C-2 to C-2U a 4-chord far-infrared laser interferometer was developed, which demonstrated superior sensitivity (1 × 1016 m-2 at >1 MHz bandwidth) and solved the under spatial sampling issue of the C-2 interferometer system. Improved density-profile measurement results are presented in this paper, including evidence of fast-ion modified density profile and stabilization of the n = 1 plasma wobble mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Far-infrared laser polarimetry with time response up to ∼1 μs and spatial resolution ∼8 cm has been successfully implemented on the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed-field pinch. Internal magnetic field and current density fluctuations are nonperturbatively measured. This is accomplished by taking parallel polarimetry chords which measure the line-integrated magnetic field fluctuations via Faraday rotation. With suitable analysis we are able to obtain information on spatial profiles of magnetic field fluctuations and current density fluctuations. Coherent interaction between these fluctuations is also measured and observed to generate an electromagnetic fluctuation-induced torque <δJ×δB>. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Completion of a multichannel far-infrared (FIR) tangential interferometer/polarimeter is under way for the National Spherical Torus Experiment, for the measurement of plasma electron density and toroidal magnetic-field distributions. The system is based on the three-wavelength configuration, which was first developed by Rommers and Howard in the RTP tokamak [Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 38, 1805 (1996)]. The probe beams enter the plasma through the windows on the midplane in Bay-K, and are reflected back to the detectors by retro-reflectors. The three FIR beams with a wavelength of 119 µm are produced by three Methanol lasers optically pumped by a CO[sub 2] laser tuned to 9.7 µm. The entire system is designed to have a full remote control capability using the LABVIEW program and fiber links. The technical details of the system development will be presented together with preliminary experimental result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interferometer/polarimeter systems based on far infrared lasers have suffered from lack of frequency modulation techniques that can allow higher intermediate frequency (IF) frequency for a fast time resolution together with stable operation including low frequency drift. This is mainly due to the intrinsic narrow gain profile of the lasers. It is known that the Stark effect can broaden the laser gain profile as has been demonstrated in the laboratory. A Stark-tuned optically pumped far infrared (FIR) CH[sub 3]OH laser together with two additional FIR lasers at 119 µm have been successfully implemented in the far infrared tangential interferometer/polarimeter system which will provide temporally and radially resolved two-dimensional electron density profile [n[sub e](r,t)] and toroidal field profile [B[sub T](r,t)] data for the National Spherical Tokamak Experiment. The characteristic frequencies of the IF system are ∼3, ∼4, and ∼7 MHz and a phase lock system was utilized for tracking the drift of the IF frequencies. In this article, the characteristics and operation of the Stark-tuned laser are described in detail. The measured electron density and Faraday rotation for various physics operation regimes are compared to the line integral of Thomson scattering measurement and EFIT results, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A six-channel two-color interferometer has been developed for plasma electron density measurements in the C-2 field reversed configuration experiment. A CO2 laser is utilized as the main probe beams, while copropagating visible HeNe laser beams are mainly sensitive to vibration. Density measurements in C-2 plasmas have shown that this is a reliable turn-key system. The maximum residual phase noise after vibration compensation is less than ±5°, corresponding to a line integral density of 3×1018 m-2. The time resolution for routine operation is 2 μs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present in this Note a numerical study on the dynamic performance of a Dilation X-ray Imager (DIXI). The DIXI including a photoelectron tube (PT) and a magnetic solenoid is modeled in 3D space. The initial parameters of the photoelectrons are sampled with a Monte Carlo code. The trajectories of the photoelectrons are calculated by using the particle-in-cell method, and the transit time spread (TTS) and temporal magnification are analyzed in detail. We have designed a PT with a double-microstrip structure and compared the performance of the double-microstrip PT with the traditional single-microstrip PT. The results show that the sensitivity of the TTS and the temporal magnification to the emission time of the photoelectrons can be significantly reduced by using the double-microstrip PT, resulting in an improvement of the time window. Therefore, the dynamic performance of the DIXI is improved.

Diagnosing free electron laser (FEL) polarization is critical for polarization-modulated research such as x-ray FEL diffraction imaging and probing material magnetism. In an electron time-of-flight (eTOF) polarimeter, the flight time and angular distribution of photoelectrons were designed based on x-ray polarimetry for on-site diagnosis. However, the transverse position of x-ray FEL pulses introduces error into the measured photoelectron angular distribution. This work, thus, proposes a method of compensating transverse position jitters for the polarization by the eTOF polarimeter itself without an external x-ray beam-position monitor. A comprehensive numerical model is developed to demonstrate the feasibility of the compensation method, and the results reveal that a spatial resolution of 20 μm and a polarity improved by 0.02 are possible with fully polarized FEL pulses. The impact of FEL pulses and a method to calibrate their linearity are also discussed.

In the Dilation X-ray Imager (DIXI), which is characterized by an ultra-short gating time, a magnetic solenoid is used to keep the photoelectrons from defocusing during the drift process. The performance of the magnetic solenoid has an important influence on the performance of the DIXI. We present in this paper the efforts on studying the spatial and temporal performance of the magnetic solenoid used in the DIXI by tracking the photoelectrons with the particle-in-cell method. The initial parameters of the photoelectrons of the Au cathode were sampled with a Monte Carlo code. A novel magnetic solenoid with a shielding shell made of soft iron was proposed. We compared the performance of this solenoid with a normal solenoid. The simulation results of magnetic field distribution, spatial resolution, transit time spread, and temporal distortion were presented in detail to demonstrate that the performance of the DIXI can be significantly improved by using the magnetic solenoid with the proposed iron shell.

In the study of indirect drive Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF), X-ray images through the laser entrance hole of the hohlraums can provide key information. In this paper, we present the advances on the development of a gated X-ray imager with multiple views and spectral selectivity. A diagnostic snout which contains four X-ray planar mirrors has been designed and coupled to a gated X-ray detector which includes an air box and has a spatial resolution better than 35 µm and a temporal resolution better than 70 ps. The two inner mirrors in the diagnostic snout operate at M band (1.6-3.5 keV), while the two outer mirrors operate at N band (0.5-1 keV). The four mirrors define four observation angles. Each mirror can reflect 4 X-ray images to the four microstrips of the gated X-ray detector with almost the same observation angle. The imager enables us to observe the spatial and temporal evolution of plasma in the hohlraums from four different observation angles based on both N band and M band images. The imager has been used in the ICF experiments conducted at Shenguang laser facility in China, and the obtained X-ray images of Au cylindrical hohlraum are presented and discussed in this paper.

Great advancements in modern field-reversed configuration (FRC) experiments motivated the development of a 14-chord three-wave far infrared (FIR) laser interferometry and polarimetry diagnostic system, which can provide simultaneous high temporal resolution measurements of density and Faraday rotation profiles with high accuracy. The unique challenges facing FIR diagnostics in high beta FRC plasmas are the extremely small (<0.5°) Faraday rotation angles, and severe laser beam refraction effects due to high density gradient and choice of long wavelength. The diagnostic system design and development are described with methods to overcome the challenges, and initial experimental data are also presented.

A versatile combination Doppler backscattering and Cross-Polarization Scattering (CPS) diagnostic for the C-2W beam-driven field-reversed configuration is described. This system is capable of measuring density fluctuations and perpendicular magnetic field fluctuations across a wide wavenumber range (2.5 ≤ k θ ρ s ≤ 50), with typical resolution Δ k θ / k θ ≤ 0.4-0.8. Four tunable frequencies (26 GHz ≤ f ≤ 60 GHz corresponding to plasma cut-off densities 0.8 × 10 19 ≤ n e ≤ 4.4 × 10 19 m -3 ) are launched via quasi-optical beam combiners/polarizers and an adjustable parabolic focusing mirror selecting the beam incidence angle. GENRAY ray tracing shows that the incident O-mode and backscattered CPS X-mode beam trajectories for C-2W plasma parameters nearly overlap, allowing simultaneous detection of ñ and B̃ r or B̃ θ from essentially the same scattering volume.

We present here the results of the simulation work, using the three-dimensional particle-in-cell method, on the performance of the lead glass microchannel plate under saturated state. We calculated the electron cascade process with different DC bias voltages under both self-consistent condition and non-self-consistent condition. The comparative results have demonstrated that the strong self-consistent field can suppress the cascade process and make the microchannel plate saturated. The simulation results were also compared to the experimental data and good agreement was obtained. The simulation results also show that the electron multiplication process in the channel is accompanied by the buildup process of positive charges in the channel wall. Though the interactions among the secondary electron cloud in the channel, the positive charges in the channel wall, and the external acceleration field can make the electron-surface collision more frequent, the collision energy will be inevitably reduced, thus the electron gain will also be reduced.

Based on the theoretical analysis of the intense relativistic electron beam propagation in the coaxial drift-tube, a focusing electrode and a coaxial reflector is proposed to lessen the demand of the coaxial Ku-band foilless transit-time oscillator (TTO) for the guiding magnetic field. Moreover, a Ku-band TTO with the focusing electrode and the coaxial reflector is designed and studied by particle in cell simulation. When the diode voltage is 390 kV, the beam current 7.8 kA, and the guiding magnetic field is only 0.3 T, the device can output 820 MW microwave pulse at 14.25 GHz by means of the simulation. However, for the device without them, the output power is only 320 MW. The primary experiments are also carried out. When the guiding magnetic field is 0.3 T, the output power of the device with the focusing electrode and the coaxial reflector is double that of the one without them. The simulation and experimental results prove that the focusing electrode and the coaxial reflector are effective on reducing the guiding magnetic field of the device.

X-ray streak cameras are extensively used to study transient x-ray processes in experiments carried out on various laser facilities at the Research Center of Laser Fusion. Precise calibration and clear description of the sweep speed of the x-ray streak camera are vital for obtaining precise temporal information to understand the fast physics phenomena. An x-ray streak camera named wide-slit x-ray streak camera has been calibrated using a small-scale laser facility with pulse duration of 8 ps. Sweep speeds on most part of the output screen (charge coupled device) are obtained. These calibration results can be used to correct the nonlinearity of sweep speed in measurement of temporal processes.

We present instrumentation for probing of volar side fingertip capillary beds with free space coupled near infrared light while collecting Raman, Rayleigh, and Mie scattered light as well as fluorescence. Fingertip skin capillary beds are highly vascularized relative to other tissues and present a desirable target for noninvasive probing of blood. But human hands and fingers in particular are also highly idiosyncratic body parts requiring specific apparatus to allow careful and methodical spectroscopic probing. The apparatus includes means for precise and reproducible placement of the tissues relative to the optical aperture. Appropriate means are provided for applying and maintaining pressure to keep surface tissues immobile during experiments while obtaining the desired blood content and flow. Soft matter, e.g., skin, extrudes into the aperture in response to any applied pressure, e.g., to keep the tissue in registration with the optical system, so the position, contact area, pressure, and force are continuously measured and recorded to produce feedback for an actuator applying force and to discern the compliance of the test subject. The compliance strongly affects the reliability of the measurement and human factors must be adequately managed in the case of in vivo probing. The apparatus produces reproducible observations and measurements that allow consistent probing of the tissues of a wide range of skin types.