Calibrating the light pulse shape of a hydrogen flashlamp using synchrotron radiation as a standard of excitation

Advantage has been taken of the measured pulse width of synchrotron radiation and its independence of wavelength to determine the delta-pulse response of a vacuum uv photomultiplier. This photomultiplier was then used to establish the true time profile of a nanosecond H(2) flashlamp. Two numerical techniques (the exponential series method and the fast Fourier transform method) were used to deconvolute the data arising from these experiments. The results indicate that the H(2) flashlamp probably has the same profile in the many-line region, lambda < 1800 A, and in the continuum region, lambda > 2100 A, and the delta-pulse response of the PMT appears consistent with known properties of the Cs-Te photocathode.