Ultrafast structural dynamics using time-resolved x-ray diffraction driven by relativistic laser pulses

Based on a femtosecond laser plasma-induced hard x-ray source with a high laser pulse energy (>100 mJ) at 10 Hz repetition rate, we present a time-resolved x-ray diffraction system on an ultrafast time scale. The laser intensity is at relativistic regime (2×10¹⁹ W/cm²), which is essential for effectively generating K_α source in high-Z metal material. The produced copper K_α radiation yield reaches to 2.5×10⁸ photons/sr/shot. The multilayer mirrors are optimized for monochromatizating and two-dimensional beam shaping of K_α emission. Our experiment exhibits its ability of monitoring the transient structural changes in a thin film SrCoO_2.5 crystal. It is demonstrated that this facility is a powerful tool to perform dynamic studies on samples and adaptable to the specific needs for different particular applications with high flexibility.