Wideband "silicon bolometers" on the LSX field reversed configuration experiment

Abstract

Silicon photodiode detectors, which have nearly flat energy response from 1 eV to 6 keV [R. Korde and L. Randall Canfield, Proc. SPIE 1140, 126 (1989)], were used as bolometers in the field reversed theta pinch experiment LSX. Plasma escaping from the field reversed configuration is naturally diverted to the ends of the vacuum enclosure. There it affects the bolometer measurements either by direct energy deposition or by emission of low energy photons. These two particle effects can be avoided by optimizing the location of the bolometers and restricting their field of view. Good agreement is observed between the silicon bolometers and a gold foil calorimeter.