A SIMPLE, QUANTITATIVE METHOD FOR MEASURING PULSED SOFT X-RAYS

A simple quantitative image processing system for pulsed soft x rays w ith time and spatial resolution is described. The system consists of e asily obtained commercial components including a microchannel plate-ph osphor screen combination, a charge coupled device camera, an image me mory board, and a personal computer. To make a quantitative measuremen t possible, the image processing is used in conjunction with measureme nt of the ''phosphor screen current.'' Performance of the system is ex amined using a soft x-ray source generated with a plasma focus device. The order of intensity, similar to 10(12) photons/s mm(2) mrad(2) 0.0 1% BW of Ar K lines is observed for about 20 ns from the pinched plasm a in which 3% of Ar is added to the 6 Torr H-2.