Characterization of a subpicosecond x-ray streak camera for ultrashort laser-produced plasmas experiments

We present results of the characterization of an ultrafast x-ray streak camera, based on Photonis (formerly Philips Photonics) P860 tube, developed for use in ultrashort laser-produced plasma research. The streak camera presented here (called PX1) has been extensively characterized with continuous and pulsed x-ray sources. Time resolution of 350 fs in the keV x-ray range has been achieved, while maintaining a high spatial resolution of 40 mu m along a direction perpendicular to the time dispersion axis. It is shown that the streak camera response is lower when the photocathode is illuminated by a pulsed source than when used with a continuous one. This effect seems to be related to a change in the phosphor response. The camera has been used to achieve high-resolution subpicosecond time-resolved spectroscopy of ultrashort laser plasmas allowing the measurements of K-shell line emission durations of 700 fs. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)05410-1].