Bench-scale single-pulse x-ray diffraction based on a wire-shorted rod-pinch diode

Abstract The flash x-ray source generated by a wire-shorted rod-pinch diode (WS-RPD) is characterized as a potential source for transient single-pulse x-ray diffraction (XRD) in dynamic experiments. Driven by a bench-scale pulsed power device, the WS-RPD generates intense x-rays with a ∼30 ns pulse width (full width at half maximum), and the probing energy can be conveniently adjusted by changing the anode material without modifying the load geometry or driving parameters. For copper and molybdenum anodes, the yield of K α photons exceeds 10 13 per shot in 4π sr. A polycapillary optic is adopted to further increase the probing photons and suppress the bremsstrahlung background, resulting in ∼10 8 probing photons impinging on a sample located 340 mm from the source and a signal-to-background ratio greater than ten (with a copper anode). The number of probing photons is much higher than the number reported for single-pulse XRD sources based on pulsed discharge, such as the x-pinch and vacuum-gap RPDs, and is comparable to an x-ray source produced by the interaction between a petawatt laser and a target.