Image plates for registration of far-ultraviolet spectra

We have tested an autoradiographic photostimulable phosphor image storage p late as a medium for recording spectra in the wavelength region from 50 to 550 Angstrom and have compared the results with spectra obtained with conve ntional photographic emulsions. The image plate shows sensitivity comparabl e with the photographic plates but has a linear intensity response over a m uch wider dynamic range. Resolution of current image-plate systems is Limit ed by the scanner that reads the stored image from the phosphor plate, but this limitation is not fundamental. These initial results suggest that opti mized image plates with an improved scanner would provide a favorable alter native to photographic plates in this spectral region. (C) 2000 Optical Soc iety of America.