Nanometer-scale characterization of laser-driven plasmas, compression, shocks and phase transitions, by coherent small angle x-ray scattering

Combining ultra-intense short-pulse and high-energy long-pulse lasers, with hard X-ray FELs, such as the Helmholtz International Beamline for Extreme Fields (HIBEF) [1] at European XFEL [2], or MEC at LCLS [3], holds the promise to revolutionize our understanding of many High Energy Density Physics phenomena. Examples include the relativistic electron generation, transport, and bulk plasma response [4], and ionization dynamics and heating [5] in relativistic laser-matter interactions, or the dynamics of laser-driven shocks, quasi-isentropic compression, and the kinetics of phase transitions at high pressure [3,6]. Particularly interesting is Small Angle X-ray Scattering [4] and resonant scattering [5]. Their feasibility in laser-driven matter will be discussed for ultra-intense short pulse drive lasers and nanosecond lasers, including first results from demonstration experiments at LCLS (SLAC). Very sharp density changes from laser-driven compression are observed, having a step width of <10 nm, comparing to a resolution of several hundred nm achieved previously [6] with phase contrast imaging.
[1] www.hibef.eu
[2] www.xfel.eu
[3] J. Synchrotron Rad. 22, 520 (2015)
[4] Phys. Plasmas 21, 033110 (2014)
[5] http://arxiv.org/abs/1508.03988
[6] Sci. Rep. 3, 1633 (2013)