Influence of thermal self-action on the diffraction of high-power X-ray pulses

Abstract

The space and time temperature distributions in a crystal exposed to the high-power pulses of an X-ray free-electron laser are analyzed by solving the heat-conduction equation. Using synthetic diamond crystals as an example, we examine how the temperature and strain of a crystal lattice affect the space-time and integrated intensities of diffraction reflection and the transmission of X-ray laser pulses. The conditions making it possible to minimize the thermal loads and spectral broadening of the diffracted pulses are determined.