High speed radiation camera using a PTM ruby laser and hydrated electron absorption phenomena

A twelve-frame radiation camera incorporating a pulse transmission mode ruby laser and employing the transient absorption phenomena associated with the hydrated electron is described. The camera was developed in an attempt to circumvent timing limitations imposed by scintillators and gated image intensifiers. The exposure time for this system is limited by the laser pulse width and the mean lifetime of the hydrated electron absorption centers. High resolution photographs of a Febetron 705 pulsed electron beam interacting with aqueous solutions were obtained. Images obtained during the rise of the electron pulse indicate a sharp increase in the electron energy. Photographs obtained during the pulse decay indicate a large number of relatively lower energy electrons.