Publications Repository - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Time-resolved in-situ or/and in-operando X-ray experiments open a very direct, natural way to study the formation and transformation of materials during relevant technological processes. High-brilliance, fs-pulsed X-rays generated by XFels demonstrate the highest temporal and spatial resolutions, but the maximum X-ray energy is currently limited to ~25 keV. Despite the possibility to illuminate macroscopic objects with large beams (~100mm2) synchrotron light sources produce X-rays pulses with much lower temporal resolution (~100ps), spatial coherence and brilliance but are able to reach X-ray energies higher than achieved at current FELs. MHz pulse repetition rates (ESRF:up to 5.6MHz in the 16 bunch mode) are characteristic to synchrotrons, allowing transient processes to be tracked using ultra-high-speed image acquisition systems with multiple frames, that are even able to visualize transient processes that are stochastic or a-periodic.
Here, we report on an in-situ real time investigation into high-power (>1J), ns single-pulsed (Nd:YAG, = 532 nm; pulse length ~10 ns) laser-driven irradiation processes leading either to surface ablation, crack propagation or shock generation [1] studied by a combined diffraction-direct-space-imaging experiment exploiting the single bunch structure. Whereas macroscopic changes (i.e. density changes or cracks) in bulk materials can be quite easily deduced from X-ray phase contrast imaging, information probing changes at the lattice level can be obtained using diffraction imaging.
As an example is in the figure shown such a combined experiment [2]: The first laser shot of an in-situ real-time laser hole-drilling experiment into a 0.50 mm thick Si (001) single crystalline wafer that was carried out for about 120sec. The sample was placed by about 45° with respect to the laser and the X-ray beam. Both beams intersect horizontally at the same height at an angle of 90° at the rotation center of the sample. The laser light was directed to the sample using a focusing lens. The synchronization of the cameras with laser and X-ray pulses are described in [1]. The X-ray beam fully illuminates the 10×10 mm2 wafer. The diffraction angle was tuned so that the Si (333) reflection in transmission geometry was recorded by the diffraction imaging detector.