Se. Derenzo et al., DESIGN OF A PULSED X-RAY SYSTEM FOR FLUORESCENT LIFETIME MEASUREMENTSWITH A TIMING ACCURACY OF 109 PS, IEEE transactions on nuclear science, 41(3), 1994, pp. 629-631
We describe the design of a table-top pulsed X-ray system for measurin
g fluorescent lifetime and wavelength spectra of samples in both cryst
al and powered form. The novel element of the system is a light-excite
d X-ray tube with a tungsten anode at +30 kV potential. The S-20 photo
cathode is excited by a laser diode with a maximum rate of 10 MHz, eac
h pulse having < 100 ps fwhm (full-width at half-maximum) and > 10(7)
photons. In a collimated 2 mm x 2 mm beam spot 40 mm from the anode we
expect > 1 X-ray per pulse. A sample is exposed to these X-rays and f
luorescent photons are detected by a microchannel PMT with a photoelec
tron transit time spread of 60 ps fwhm, a sapphire window, and a bialk
ali photocathode (wavelength range 180-600 nm). The combined time spre
ad of a laser diode, the X-my tube, and a microchannel tube has been m
easured to be 109 ps fwhm. To measure fluorescent wavelength spectra,
a reflection grating monochromator is placed between the sample and th
e PMT.