Silicon Aerogel Debris Shields for Nuclear Weapon Effect X-ray Simulators

X-RDY NUCLEAR WEDPON EFFECT SIMULATORS USE 8 PLSSMD TO PRODUCE AN INTENSS PULSE OF SOFT X-RAYS TO DETERMINE THEIR EFFECTS ON OPTICAL AND ELECTRONIC MATERISLS. DEBRIS EMITTED FROM THESE PLDSMDS COMPLICATES THE INTERPRETDTION OF THE EFFECTS OF X-RAYS UNLESS A DEBRIS SHIELD IS USED. THESE DEBRIS SHIELDS MUST BE THIN ENOUGH TO GIVE LOW X-RDY ATTENUDTION BUT ROBUST ENOUGH TO SURVIVE THE IMPDCT OF HIGH VELOCITY DEBRIS. THESE COMPETING DEBRIS SHIELD REQUIREMENTS LIMIT THE FLUENCE ON A TDRGET DND THE SRED WHICH CAN BE EXPOSED. EVEN THE LOWEST DENSITY AND LOWEST DTOMIC NUMBER CONVENTIONGL DEBRIS SHIELD MDTERI 81 SIGNIFICANTLY ATTENUATES THE X-RAY FL UENCE. PHYSITRON , INC. PROPOSES TO USE THE LOWEST DENSITY SOLID MDTERISL KNOWN AS A DEBRIS SHIELD. SILICD AEROGEL IS D DRY GELLED FORM OF SI(OH)4 WITH DENSITY 8S LOW 35 0.005 GM/CM3 FVEN WITH THIS LOW DENSITY, THE DEROGEL IS STRONG ENOUGH TO BE RIGID . ^ AND TO SUPPORT CONSIDERDBLE WEIGHT. ITS COMBINDTION OF STRENGTH, EXTREMELY LOW DENSITY, DND LOW DTOMIC NUMBER MAKES IT SN IDEAL DEBRIS SHIELD MATERIAL. PHYSITRON PROPOSES TO FDBRICSTE AND TEST SILICON DEROGEL DEBRIS SHIELDS FOR NUCLEAR WEAPON SIMULDTORS. IN ADDITION TO USE 8S SN X-RDY DEBRIS SHIELD, THIS MATERIAL COULD BE USED 8S D REPLDCEMENT FOR CURRENT BE, II OR DISMOND X-RAY WINDOWS FOR LOW ENERGY X-RAY INSTRUMENTS.