Diagnostics on Z (invited)

The 100 ns, 20 MA pinch-driver Z is surrounded by an extensive set of diagn ostics. There are nine radial lines of sight set at 12 degrees above horizo ntal and each of these may be equipped with up to five diagnostic ports. In struments routinely fielded viewing the pinch from the side with these port s include x-ray diode arrays, photoconducting detector arrays, bolometers, transmission grating spectrometers, time-resolved x-ray pinhole cameras, x- ray crystal spectrometers, calorimeters, silicon photodiodes, and neutron d etectors. A diagnostic package fielded on axis for viewing internal pinch r adiation consists of nine lines of sight. This package accommodates virtual ly the same diagnostics as the radial ports. Other diagnostics not fielded on the axial or radial ports include current B-dot monitors, filtered x-ray scintillators coupled by fiber optics to streak cameras, streaked visible spectroscopy, velocity interferometric system for any reflector, bremsstrah lung cameras, and active shock breakout measurement of hohlraum temperature . The data acquisition system is capable of recording up to 500 channels an d the data from each shot is available on the Internet. A major new diagnos tic presently under construction is the BEAMLET backlighter. We will briefl y describe each of these diagnostics and present some of the highest-qualit y data from them. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.