Metrology of Acquisition Chains and Signal Processing of LMJ Experiments

Abstract

Since the first experiment in 2014, more and more plasma diagnostics are being deployed on the Laser MegaJoule (LMJ) facility manufactured by C.E.A/D.A.M. These diagnostics aim at measuring radiations or particles emitted during laser experiments to study high-energy physics, especially inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Different types of sensors surround the LMJ target chamber and realize the conversion of the quantities of interest to an electric signal. The signal is then transmitted via coaxial cables, acquired by a broadband oscilloscope, and digitally post-processed. Each step of this typical acquisition chain adds measurement errors and increases the global uncertainty. First, a numerical model of the digitizer alongside a specific hardware system designed to perform its metrology in situ will be presented. It computes errors sources such as offset, gain and skew, and provides a measurement of the effective number of bits (ENOB) of the digitizer. The experimental characterization of the electrical chain via its transfer function measurement will also be detailed. Finally, the numerical methods deployed to handle the inverse problem, based on deconvolution processes, will be introduced, including future developments exploiting Bayesian inferences and statistical approaches.