Conceptual design for time-resolved x-ray diffraction in a single laser-driven compression experiment

Since X-ray diffraction is the definitive method for identifying crystalline phases of a material, it is an important technique for probing high-energy-density materials during laser-driven compression experiments. We are developing a design for collecting several x-ray diffraction datasets during a single laser-driven experiment, with a goal of achieving temporal resolution better than 1 ns. The design combines x-ray streak cameras, for a continuous temporal record of diffraction, with fast x-ray imagers, to collect several diffraction patterns with sufficient solid angle range and resolution to identify crystalline texture. Here we describe the status of the conceptual design, highlighting tradeoffs in the design process.