Cygnus source emission

The Cygnus Dual Beam Radiographic Facility consists of two identical radiographic sources each with a dose rating of 4 Rads at 1 m, and a 1 mm diameter spot size. The development of the rod pinch diode was responsible for the ability to meet these criteria. The rod pinch diode in a Cygnus machine uses a small diameter anode rod, which extends through a cathode aperture. The electron beam born off the aperture edge can self-insulate and pinch onto the tip of the rod, creating an intense, small x-ray source. The Cygnus sources are utilized as the primary diagnostic on numerous experiments which include high-value, single-shot events. In such applications there is an emphasis on reliability and reproducibility. A shot-to-shot evaluation of the machine performance will be conducted and evaluated using two x-ray pinhole cameras.