Optical fiducial timing system for X-ray streak cameras with aluminum coated optical fiber ends

Apparatus for recording an optical data record, that is related to an optical signal, onto a data recording medium of an X-ray streak camera that comprises an X-ray photocathode and is of a type wherein during operation an X-ray beam impinges on the X-ray photocathode and thereby ejects a quantity of photoelectrons that are formed into a photoelectron pulse that records an X-ray data record, that is related to the X-ray beam, onto the data recording medium, with the optical data record being recorded on the data recording medium both as the optical signal arrives at the X-ray streak camera and at the location on the recording medium where the X-ray data record is then being recorded, the apparatus comprising:

• an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, with the first end being coated with a layer of aluminum, and with the aluminum coated first fiber end adapted for being positioned into a spatial region within the X-ray streak camera where said quantity of photoelectrons begin to be formed into said photoelectron pulse;
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• means for introducing the optical signal into the second end of the optical fiber, during operation of the X-ray streak camera, so that the optical signal travels along the optical fiber to the first end of the optical fiber, strikes the aluminum layer, and thereby ejects a quantity of electrons that are adapted to form into an electron pulse that records said optical data record, that is related to said optical signal, onto said recording medium.

For use with an interdependent group of X-ray streak cameras, wherein each individual X-ray streak camera comprises an individual X-ray photocathode and an individual data recording medium, and wherein each individual X-ray streak camera is of a type wherein during operation an individual X-ray beam impinges on the individual X-ray photocathode and thereby ejects an individual quantity of photoelectrons that are formed into an individual photoelectron pulse that records an individual X-ray data record onto the individual data recording medium, with each individual X-ray beam being emitted by a single X-ray source, and with the individual X-ray data record being related to the individual X-ray beam, a method for recording an individual fiducial optical data record onto each individual data recording medium, with each individual fiducial optical data record being related to a single fiducial optical signal, and with each individual fiducial optical data record being recorded onto its individual data recording medium both as the single fiducial optical signal arrives at its corresponding individual X-ray streak camera, and at the location on its individual data recording medium where its corresponding individual X-ray data record is then being recorded, the method comprising the steps of:

• coating a first end of each of a group of optical fibers, equal in number to the number of streak cameras of said interdependent group of X-ray streak cameras, with an individual layer of aluminum;
• individually positioning each aluminum coated fiber end into an individual spatial region, within each X-ray streak camera, where each individual quantity of photoelectrons begins to be formed into each individual photoelectron pulse;
• individually placing a second end of each of said group of optical fibers together into a bundled array, with said array having the characteristic of permitting a single optical signal to be commonly introduced into each second fiber end;
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• commonly introducing, during operation of said interdependent group of X-ray streak cameras, said single fiducial optical signal, by way of said bundled array, into each second end of each optical fiber of said group of optical fibers, so that the single fiducial optical signal travels along each optical fiber of said group of optical fibers to the first end of each optical fiber of said group of optical fibers, strikes each aluminum layer and thereby ejects an individual quantity of electrons, from each aluminum layer, that are each individually formed into an individual electron pulse that individually records one of said individual fiducial optical data records, that are each related to said single fiducial optical signal, onto one of said individual data recording media.

Apparatus for recording an individual fiducial optical data record, that is related to a single fiducial optical signal, onto an individual data recording medium of each individual X-ray streak camera of an interdependent group of X-ray streak cameras, wherein each individual X-ray streak camera comprises an individual X-ray photocathode and is of a type wherein during operation an individual X-ray beam impinges on the individual X-ray photocathode and thereby ejects an individual quantity of photoelectrons that are formed into an individual photoelectron pulse that records an individual X-ray data record, that is related to the individual X-ray beam, onto the individual data recording medium, with each individual fiducial optical data record being recorded onto its individual data recording medium both as the single fiducial optical signal arrives at its corresponding individual X-ray streak camera, and at the location on its individual data recording medium where its corresponding individual X-ray data record is then being recorded, the apparatus comprising:

• a group of optical fibers, equal in number to the number of streak cameras of said interdependent group of X-ray streak cameras, with each optical fiber having a first end and a second end, with each first end being coated with an individual layer of aluminum, with each aluminum coated first fiber end adapted for being individually positioned into an individual spatial region, within each X-ray streak camera, where each individual quantity of photoelectrons begin to be formed into each individual photoelectron pulse, with each second end being individually placed together into a bundled array, with said array having the characteristic of permitting a single optical signal to be commonly introduced into each second fiber end;
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• means for commonly introducing the single fiducial optical signal, by way of said bundled array, into each second end of each optical fiber of said group of optical fibers, during operation of said interdependent group of X-ray streak cameras, so that the single fiducial optical signal travels along each optical fiber of said group of optical fibers to the first end of each optical fiber of said group of optical fibers, strikes each aluminum layer and thereby ejects, from each aluminum layer, an individual quantity of electrons that are each individually adapted to form into an individual electron pulse that individually records one of said individual fiducial optical data records, that are each related to a single fiducial optical signal, onto one of said individual data recording media.