Detection of an electron current in a plasma by an x-ray pinhole camera with a microchannel plate

A pinhole camera for the soft-x-ray range (0.2--10 keV) with a microchannel-plate detector has been developed. The construction and basic characteristics of this camera are reported. The spatial resolution of the detector is 20 lines/mm. The brightness intensification, the trigger time, and the duration of the exposure are all set by a pulse from the power supply for the microchannel plate. The capabilities of the camera are demonstrated in experiments with a turbulent neutral current sheet. Analysis of an image produced by electron bombardment of a special target in the plasma reveals an electron current in the plasma with a current velocity of 0.3v/sub Te/. The plasma density is n> or =10/sup 12/ cm/sup -3/, the electron temperature is T/sub e/> or =0.2 keV, and the exposure time is 200 ns.