Illustration of how a single crystal sample of silicon deforms during shock compression on nanosecond timescales.




The LCLS beam with its high peak brightness, short pulse duration, and tunable X-ray photon energy provides revolutionary capabilities to study the transient behavior of matter in extreme conditions. The particular strength of the Matter in Extreme Conditions (MEC) instrument is to combine the unique LCLS beam with high power optical laser beams, and a suite of dedicated diagnostics tailored for this field of science.
Illustration of how a single crystal sample of silicon deforms during shock compression on nanosecond timescales.