DUAL MICROCHANNEL PLATE MODULE FOR A GATED MONOCHROMATIC X-RAY IMAGER

Development and testing of a dual microchannel plate (MCP) module to b e used in the national inertial confinement fusion (ICF) program has r ecently been completed. The MCP module is a key component of a new mon ochromatic x-ray imaging diagnostic which is designed around a four ch annel Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope and diffraction crystals and is loca ted at the University of Rochester's Omega laser system. The MCP modul e has two separate MCP regions with centers spaced 53 mm apart. Each r egion contains a 25 mm MCP proximity focused to a P-ll phosphor coated fiberoptic faceplate. The two L/D=40, MCPs have a 10.2 mm wide, 8 ohm stripline constructed of 500 nm copper overcoated with 100 nm gold. A 4 kV, 150 ps electrical pulse provides an optical gatewidth of 80 ps and spatial resolution has been measured at 20 1p/mm. (C) 1997 America n Institute of Physics.