Heterodyne Interferometer for Triggering Gas Puff PRSs

Large x-ray generators using Ar gas filled loads are an important element in the DTRA simulator program to provide users with a relevant fluence of x-rays for evaluating the radiation hardness of components used in military systems. With ostensibly identical initial conditions and generator parameters, 33% variations in the average yield have been observed. The one unmeasured parameter is the actual mass loading at the time of current initiation. In order to address this issue, a fiber optic based, heterodyne interferometer system has been designed and tested which is capable of directly measuring the mass loading on time scales of interest. Based upon this measurement capability, a complete system will be built to generate a mass loading based trigger signal to ensure that all shots will have the same mass loading.