New energy spectral measurements of a distributed x-ray source with a Compton spectrometer

Our team at Los Alamos National Laboratory has performed many successful energy-spectra measurements of both continuous and flash, intense radiographic sources with Compton spectrometers. In this method, a collimated beam of x-rays incident on a convertor foil ejects Compton electrons. A collimator may be inserted into the entrance of the spectrometer to select the angular acceptance of the forward-scattered electrons, which then enter the magnetic field region of the spectrometer. The position of the electrons at the magnet’s focal plane is proportional to the square root of their momentum, allowing the x-ray spectrum to be reconstructed. A Compton spectrometer with an energy range of <0.5 to 20 MeV recently measured the x-ray energy spectrum produced by the Mercury pulsed-power machine at the Naval Research Laboratory in its large-area diode configuration. These first-ever results from a distributed x-ray source will be presented.