Comparison of film detectors, charged-coupled devices, and imaging plates in x-ray spectroscopy of hot dense plasma

We present comparative x-ray spectroscopic measurements using an x-ray film, a charged-coupled device (CCD), and imaging plates as the detectors. An aluminum K-shell x-ray emission in the energy range of 1.8–2.15 keV is produced from a laser-produced plasma, and dispersed using a flat crystal spectrometer. Our interest is in the response of these detectors to weak x-ray emission, their suitability for quantitative and absolute measurements, as well of ease of use. We find that scientific-grade CCD detectors offer superior signal-to-noise performance, while imaging plates are a viable alternative particularly if large detection areas or curved surfaces are required. Despite the excellent spatial resolution of an x-ray film, imaging plates are preferred to film for quantitative measurement as signal to noise ratio is greater by an order of magnitude.