Laboratory time-resolved X-ray diffractometry for in situ studies of crystalline materials under uniaxial compression and vibration

A novel laboratory diffractometer for time-resolved high-resolution X-ray diffraction studies of reversible and irreversible processes in crystalline materials under uniaxial compression and vibration is described. Temporal resolution up to milliseconds for double-crystal and up to tens of seconds for triple-crystal diffraction experiments was achieved with a single adaptive bending X-ray optics element. Design solutions and techniques for applying and controlling uniaxial compression and vibration for in situ time-resolved studies are described. Results are presented for various static and dynamic load experiments, controlled by a system based on the TANGO Controls framework. Rocking curves of paratellurite (TeO2) under quasi-static compression and lithium fluoride (LiF) under ultrasonic vibration were measured with temporal resolution. Reciprocal-space maps of LiF under static compression and quartz (SiO2) under ultrasonic vibration were collected.