A HIGH-REPETITION-RATE, PICOSECOND HARD X-RAY SYSTEM, AND ITS APPLICATION TO TIME-RESOLVED X-RAY-DIFFRACTION

A new technique for generation of hard x-ray picosecond pulses is presented. Excitation of a x-ray diode with 10 ps ultraviolet light pulses produces characteristic x-ray pulses with duration in the range of 10-100 ps at a repetition rate of 300 Hz. The x-ray pulses are synchronized with picosecond accuracy to the optical pulses of the laser system as well to other ultrafast phenomena. Results of picosecond time-resolved x-ray diffraction are reported.