Double-sided laser heating system at HPCAT for in situ x-ray diffraction at high pressures and high temperatures

An overview of a YLF:Nd laser heating system at the undulator x-ray diffraction station ( 16ID-B) of the high-pressure collaborative access team ( HPCAT) of the Advanced Photon Source is presented. Based on the double-sided laser heating technique, the system is designed with considerable effort on the mechanical and optical stabilities, features for user-friendly operation, and the capability of accommodating diamond anvil cells of various heights up to 68 mm. This system has been used for x-ray diffraction studies of a wide range of materials to over 150 GPa and above 3000 K. Applying the laser heating technique to radial x-ray diffraction studies at simultaneous high-pressure and high-temperature ( PT) conditions requires heating to be conducted at variable angles relative to the x-ray direction. A rotation laser heating design is discussed.