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AIRIX is an induction linear accelerator which will be used for flash radiography in Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique In France. Designed to produce an X-ray dose of some hundreds Rads at 1 meter with an X-ray focal spot size diameter of less than 2 mm (LANL-CEA DAM definition), this facility consists in a 3,8 MeV/2 kA pulsed electron injector and 15,4 MeV induction accelerator powered by 32 high voltage generators. A prototype of this accelerator, called PIVAIR, has been studied and realized in CEA CESTA near Bordeaux. PIVAIR is a validation step for AIRIX at 8 MeV. It includes an injector (3,6 MeV, 3,2 kA, 60 ns) and 16 induction cells supplied by 8 high voltage generators (250 kV, 70 ns). Two different technologies of induction cells have been tested (Rexolite insulator or ferrite Under Vacuum). We have chosen ferrite under vacuum cells technology after comparison of results on beam transport and reliability tests. A focusing experiment at 7.2 MeV of the electron beam has been achieved during summer 1997. We have begun to produce X-rays in October 1997. A dose level of 50 Rad at 1 meter has been achieved with an X-ray spot size diameter of 3.5 to 4 mm (LANL-CEA DAM definition). Static flash radiography of very dense object have been achieved from November 1997 until February 1998. We have been able to test in situ new kinds of very high sensitive X-ray detectors and to check they had reached our very ambitious goals: quantum efficiency at 5 MeV > 50% instead of 1% for luminous screens and film, sensitivity < 10 (mu) Rad (100 time more sensitive than radiographic luminous screens and films), dynamic range > 100, resolution < 2 mm. The AIRIX accelerator has been built in the CEA-MORONVILLIERS test site near Reims under an industrial collaboration with the THOMSON- CSF Company. It is housed in a reinforced concrete bunker and has an overall length of 60 meters. The 20 MeV electron beam has been focused on a 1 mm thick Tantalum target to produce an X-ray fluence of more than 300 Rads at one meter from the target. The result is a single radiograph of the device explosion under test with the high stopping power detector located in a blast protection set behind the device. In this communication we will present all these techniques which correspond to a significant effort of CEA begun in 1992. AIRIX facility will be available to run detonics experiments before end of 2000.
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