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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Applying X-ray Imaging Crystal Spectroscopy for Use as a High Temperature Plasma Diagnostic
Published on: August 25, 2016
A compact filtered x-ray diode array spectrometer for the National Ignition Facility: SENTINEL
G E Kemp1, M J May1, L P MacNeil2
1Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA.
Abstract:
Sentinel is a 16-channel, filtered x-ray diode array spectrometer that has been developed to measure ∼1 keV-20 keV x-ray emission generated by the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser. Unlike the large, fixed-port versions of this diagnostic that currently exist on the NIF (known as Dante), Sentinel is a Diagnostic Instrument Manipulator compatible such that it can be fielded along the polar or equatorial lines-of-sight-an essential new capability for characterizing the often anisotropic x-ray emission from laser-driven sources. We present the diagnostic design along with preliminary diode calibrations and performance results. The novel, small-form-factor x-ray diode design allows for ≳5×-25× increased channel areal density over that of Dante, simultaneously enabling improved diagnostic robustness and fidelity of spectral reconstructions. While the Sentinel diagnostic is anticipated to improve line-of-sight spectral characterization of x-ray sources for a wide variety of programs on the NIF, the compact and portable design is also attractive to small- and mid-scale facilities with limited diagnostic real estate.
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