Ultraviolet Laser Shadowgraphy System for the SHIVA-STAR Fast Capacitor Bank

摘要

An ultraviolet laser shadowgraphy has been developed which is sensitive to plasma densities in the few 10 to the 16th power/cu cm regime. It is fast enough ( < 10 ns exposure time) to freeze the motion of even fast-moving plasmas, and it is capable of operating in an environment where there is a high level of both background light and electrical noise. System setup and adjustments as well as interpretation of data from a coaxial-geometry experiment are discussed. Keywords: Laser shadowgraphy; Nitrogen lasers; Plasma diagnostics; Ultraviolet lasers.