Performance of Laser Megajoule's x-ray streak camera.

A prototype of a picosecond x-ray streak camera has been developed and tested by Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives to provide plasma-diagnostic support for the Laser Megajoule. We report on the measured performance of this streak camera, which almost fulfills the requirements: 50-μm spatial resolution over a 15-mm field in the photocathode plane, 17-ps temporal resolution in a 2-ns timebase, a detection threshold lower than 625 nJ/cm in the 0.05-15 keV spectral range, and a dynamic range greater than 100.

First set of gated x-ray imaging diagnostics for the Laser Megajoule facility.

The Laser Megajoule (LMJ) facility located at CEA/CESTA started to operate in the early 2014 with two quadruplets (20 kJ at 351 nm) focused on target for the first experimental campaign. We present here the first set of gated x-ray imaging (GXI) diagnostics implemented on LMJ since mid-2014. This set consists of two imaging diagnostics with spatial, temporal, and broadband spectral resolution.

Overview of the ARGOS X-ray framing camera for Laser MegaJoule.

Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives has developed the ARGOS X-ray framing camera to perform two-dimensional, high-timing resolution imaging of an imploding target on the French high-power laser facility Laser MegaJoule. The main features of this camera are: a microchannel plate gated X-ray detector, a spring-loaded CCD camera that maintains proximity focus in any orientation, and electronics packages that provide remotely-selectable high-voltages to modify the exposure-time of the camera. These components are integrated into an "air-box" that protects them from the harsh environmental conditions.