Characteristics of Picosecond Streak Camera Systems

Abstract

A streak camera system, allowing nearly real time measurements of picosecond phenomena by means of a direct readout apparatus, has been developed. The streak camera uses a newly developed streak tube with a self-contained microchannel plate as an image intensifier. The direct readout system consists of an SIT camera and a video analyzer.
The relation of the dynamic range to the time resolution has been investigated. Then a new definition and a method of dynamic range measurements are presented.
Main characteristics obtained are the limiting temporal resolution <10 ps in a linear dynamic range> 100 at relatively small jitter of less than ±-.20ps, nonlinearity of the streak speed within 6 % and minimum detectability of 12 photoelectrons/pulse at the photocathode.