| The EG&G Microflash 549 provides a single brief light pulse capable of
freezing motion at extreme speeds. Edgerton created his famous pictures of bullets striking apples
and playing cards with this system, which many laboratories have used as a cost-effective method of
capturing a single frame of a rapid event.
We demonstrated a compact version of this system (5" x 5" x 3" without reflector), which could also
replace the air environment with argon or xenon to produce much stronger illumination with a
somewhat longer pulse length.
Other options include designs for a few pulses that could be fired in any time sequence
(even simultaneously). The simplest version of the system could be useful for classroom
demonstrations, while more advanced versions could produce sufficient intensity for
multiple-view images or sequential shots for measuring velocity.
Among the features to be determined prior to committing to a final design are:
| > | pulse duration (e.g., 300 ns full duration at half intensity) |
| > | area coverage (affects reflector design and pulse energy) |
| > | size limits |
| > | triggering requirements (currently uses TTL pulse) |
| > | number of pulses/repetition rate |
Please let us know: Which of these
features would be useful and why? Would you like to see any other features? Which is more important: cost or features?
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