Sweep Deflection Circuit Development Using Computer-Aided Circuit Design for the OMEGA Multichannel Streak Camera

6 LLE Review, Volume 73 A streak camera is an electro-optic instrument capable of resolving high-speed, low-repetition-rate, pulsed laser phenomena. The basis of the instrument is a streak tube. The image of the light to be analyzed is focused onto a photocathode at the input end of the streak tube. The photocathode emits electrons in response to the intensity of the light. The electrons, focused into a beam, are accelerated and deflected to a luminescent screen at the other end of the tube. This electron beam, impinging upon the screen, produces an intensified image of the light being analyzed. This image is then optically coupled to a CCD (charge-coupled device) imager, which digitizes the information for storage. To study the temporal variation of pulsed light a streak mode of operation is utilized whereby the electron beam is swept across the phosphor at a predetermined rate to provide the dimension of time along the axis of the swept image. To sweep the electron beam a pair of electrostatic deflection plates are provided in the streak tube (see Fig. 73.8). The position of the beam is linearly related to the voltage potential on the deflection plates. A linear voltage ramp is applied to the deflection plates to produce a linear sweep with respect to time. The sweep deflection circuit described produces the voltage ramp needed for the temporal study of the beams within the OMEGA system.