Bridging the Gap Between Synchrotron and Laboratory-Based In Situ Powder Diffraction

In situ X-ray scattering experiments to study structure-function relationships in materials traditionally relied on bright synchrotron X-rays to resolve fast dynamic phenomena and efficiently probe structure as a function of environmental variables. However, recent technological advances have expanded the utility of laboratory-based diffraction instruments. Here we demonstrate how a modern laboratory-based X-ray diffraction instrument, equipped with a photon-counting area detector and microfocus Mo X-ray source, can effectively complement synchrotrons, bridging the gap between synchrotron-based experiments and what can be achieved in-house. Specifically, the ability to acquire quantitative powder diffraction data within 10’s of seconds, enabling time-resolved studies of dynamic processes and efficient parametric studies on time scales suitable for solid-state transformations. The transmission measurement geometry using an area detector parallels that used at synchrotrons, allowing complex experiments and new sample environment developments to be prototyped in-house before being transitioned to beamlines.