GATED X-RAY IMAGER GAIN CORRECTION USING A TAPERED MICROCHANNEL-PLATESTRIPLINE

Gated imagers used to record x-ray emission in the 1-5 keV range in la ser-plasma interaction experiments have suffered from resistive gain d egradation between voltage drive pulse input and output ends of a micr ochannel-plate stripline. The reduction in gain as the pulse travels d own the strip results in a lower signal-to-background ratio in the las t image on a strip than in the first image. Compensation for this gain nonuniformity using a tapered stripline in place of the normally stra ight striplines is discussed.