TESTING CAPABILITY AND DEBRIS ELIMINATION

PULSED RADIATION SOURCES (PRS) SUCH AS BLACKJACT 5 AND DOUBLE EAGLE CAN PRODUCE COPIOUS LINE X-RAY OUTPUTS IN THE FEW KEV RANGE. THESE X-RAYS ARE USED TO IRRADIATE SAMPLES AND IT IS DESIRABLE TO USE AS MUCH OF THE X-RAY FLUX AS POSSIBLE. THE SAMPLE IRRADIATIONS, HOWEVER,ARE ACCOMPANIED BY UNWANTED BACKGROUND EFFECTS CAUSED BY BOTH LOW ENERGY BLACKBODY RADIATION AND DEBRIS. FILTERING OUT THESE EFFECTS TYPICALLY REDUCES THE FLUENCE ON TARGET BY AS MUCH AS AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE. THIS PROPOSAL SUGGESTS A NOVEL AND INEXPENSIVE WAY OF ELIMINATING THESE PROBLEMS, AT NO SACRIFICE IN FLUENCE ON THE TARGET. THERE IS EVEN THE POSSIBILITY OF INCREASING THE INTENSITY ON TARGET. THE PROPOSED IDEA HAS PROVEN ITSELF FOR OTHER APPLICATIONS INVOLVING X-RAYS IN THE 2 TO 7 KEV RANGE.