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We have developed a pump-probe X-ray diffraction measurement system for a sample with irreversible reaction at BL40XU in the SPring-8. The system mainly consists of a time-resolved measurement system, a sample disk rotation system, and an X-ray microbeam system. The time-resolved measurement system gives time resolution of 50 ps in laser-pump and X-ray probe method. A sample disk rotation system for repetitive measurements was made to give a virgin sample for every measurement. The number of repetitions for one sample disk was increased by using the X-ray microbeam technique. To keep the overlap of the X-ray microbeam and the laser beam on the sample surface during the disk rotation, the sample disk rotation system was constructed by a low-eccentric spindle motor. By using this system, the pump-probe X-ray diffraction measurement was demonstrated for a crystallization process of a DVD material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brilliant pulsed x-ray synchrotron radiation (SR) is useful for pump-probe experiment such as time-resolved x-ray diffraction, x-ray absorption fine structure, and x-ray spectroscopy. For laser pump-SR x-ray probe experiments, short pulsed lasers are generally synchronized to the SR master oscillator controlling the voltage for acceleration of electron bunches in an accelerator, and the interval between the laser and the SR pulses is changed around the time scale of target phenomenon. Ideal delay control produces any time delay as keeping the time-precision and pointing-stability of optical pulses at a sample position. We constructed the time delay control module using a continuous phase shifter of radio frequency signal and a frequency divider, which can produce the delayed trigger pulses to the laser without degradation of the time precision and the pointing stability. A picoseconds time-resolved x-ray diffraction experiment was demonstrated at SPring-8 storage ring for fast lattice response by femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation, and suggested the possibility of accurate sound velocity measurement. A delay control unit operating with subpicosecond precision has also been designed for femtosecond pump-probe experiments using a free electron laser at SPring-8 campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pulse characteristic and high coherent x-ray beam of SPring-8 allow us to investigate dynamics of chemical reactions and phase transition of materials caused by applied field. In order to realize such direct investigation, “x-ray pinpoint structural measurement”, which is the advanced x-ray measurement technique in nanometer spatial scale and/or pico-second time scale, is being developed at SPring-8. The features of “x-ray pinpoint structural measurement” technique are, 1) spatial resolution: ∼ 100 nm, 2) time resolution: ∼ 40 ps, and 3) measurement under the photo-irradiation, electric field, magnetic field, high pressure and active devices. Using this technique, we will explore the novel concept and new phenomena for nanomaterials and/or devices, and also demonstrate their validity. © 2007 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]