1. Automated computer analysis of x‐ray radiographs greatly facilitates measurement of coating thickness variations in laser fusion targets
- Author
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D. M. Stupin, R. L. Whitman, G. D. Thomas, and K. R. Moore
- Subjects
Materials science ,Opacity ,business.industry ,General Engineering ,engineering.material ,law.invention ,Optics ,Coating ,Optical microscope ,Industrial radiography ,law ,Professional video camera ,Measuring instrument ,engineering ,Densitometer ,business ,Inertial confinement fusion - Abstract
We have built an automated system to analyze x‐ray radiographs of laser fusion targets which greatly facilitates the detection of coating thickness variations. Many laser fusion targets require opaque coatings 1 to 20 μm thick which have been deposited on small glass balloons 100 to 500 μm in diameter. These coatings must be uniformly thick to 1% for the targets to perform optimally. Our system is designed to detect variations as small as 100 A in 1‐μm‐thick coatings by converting the optical density variations of contact x‐ray radiographs into coating thickness variations. Radiographic images are recorded in HRP emulsions and magnified by an optical microscope, imaged onto television camera, digitized and processed on a Data General S/230 computer with a code by Whitman. After an initial set‐up by the operator, as many as 200 targets will be automatically characterized.
- Published
- 1982
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