The MIT HEDP Accelerator Facility for Diagnostic Development for OMEGA, Z, and the NIF

The student-run MIT High Energy Density Physics (HEDP) Accelerator Facility consists of a 125-keV ion accelerator, DT and DD neutron sources, and two X-ray sources for development and characterization of diagnostics for OMEGA, Z, and the NIF. The accelerator generates DD and D³He fusion products through the acceleration of D⁺ ions onto a ³He-doped Erbium-Deuteride target, with fusion product rates up to 10⁶ s^-1. The DT and DD neutron sources generate up to 6×10⁸ and 1×10⁷ neutrons/s, respectively. One X-ray generator is a thick-target W source with a peak energy of 225 keV; the other is based on Cu, Mo, or Ti anode tubes and generates X-rays with a maximum energy of 40 keV. Diagnostics developed and calibrated at this facility include CR-39-based mono-energetic particle radiography, charged-particle spectrometers, neutron detectors, and the particle Time-Of-Flight (pTOF) CVD-diamond-based bang time detector. This poster includes discussion about recent CR-39, Image Plate and Radiochromic film characterization efforts, including study of the impact of X-ray exposure on CR-39 track characteristics.