Rod pinch diodes have shown considerable capability as high-brightness flash x-ray sources for penetrating dynamic radiography. The rod pinch diode uses a small diameter (0.4–2 mm) anode rod extended through a cathode aperture. When properly configured, the electron beam born off of the aperture edge can self-insulate and pinch onto the tip of the rod creating an intense, small x-ray source. Sandia’s SABRE accelerator (2.3 MV, 40 Ω, 70 ns) has been utilized to optimize the source experimentally by maximizing the figure of merit (dose/spot diameter2) and minimizing the diode impedance droop. Many diode parameters have been examined including rod diameter, rod length, rod material, cathode aperture diameter, cathode thickness, power flow gap, vacuum quality, and severity of rod–cathode misalignment. The configuration producing the greatest figure of merit uses a 0.5 mm diameter gold rod, a 6 mm rod extension beyond the cathode aperture (diameter=8 mm), and a 10 cm power flow gap to produce up to 3.5 rad (filtered dose) at 1 m from a 0.85 mm x-ray on-axis spot (1.02 mm at 3° off axis). The resultant survey of parameter space has elucidated several physics issues that are discussed.
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August 2003
Research Article|
August 01 2003
Optimization of a rod pinch diode radiography source at 2.3 MV
P. R. Menge;
P. R. Menge
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
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D. L. Johnson;
D. L. Johnson
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
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J. E. Maenchen;
J. E. Maenchen
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
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D. C. Rovang;
D. C. Rovang
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
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B. V. Oliver;
B. V. Oliver
Mission Research Corporation, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
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D. V. Rose;
D. V. Rose
Mission Research Corporation, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
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D. R. Welch
D. R. Welch
Mission Research Corporation, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
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Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74, 3628–3635 (2003)
Article history
Received:
December 16 2002
Accepted:
May 12 2003
Citation
P. R. Menge, D. L. Johnson, J. E. Maenchen, D. C. Rovang, B. V. Oliver, D. V. Rose, D. R. Welch; Optimization of a rod pinch diode radiography source at 2.3 MV. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1 August 2003; 74 (8): 3628–3635. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1589585
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