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High energy x-ray characterization methods hold great potential for gaining insight into the behavior of materials and providing comparison datasets for the validation and development of mesoscale modeling tools. A suite of techniques have been developed by the x-ray community for characterizing the 3D structure and micromechanical state of polycrystalline materials; however, combining these techniques with in situ mechanical testing under well characterized and controlled boundary conditions has been challenging due to experimental design requirements, which demand new high-precision hardware as well as access to high-energy x-ray beamlines. We describe the design and performance of a load frame insert with a rotational and axial motion system that has been developed to meet these requirements. An example dataset from a deforming titanium alloy demonstrates the new capability.

We report on design and performance of a high-resolution x-ray monochromator with a spectral bandwidth of ΔE(X) ≃ 1.5 meV, which operates at x-ray energies in the vicinity of the backscattering (Bragg) energy E(H) = 13.903 keV of the (008) reflection in diamond. The monochromator is utilized for high-energy-resolution diffraction characterization of diamond crystals as elements of advanced x-ray crystal optics for synchrotrons and x-ray free-electron lasers. The monochromator and the related controls are made portable such that they can be installed and operated at any appropriate synchrotron beamline equipped with a pre-monochromator.

An x-ray free-electron laser oscillator (XFELO) has been recently proposed [K. Kim et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 244802 (2008)]. Angular orientation and position in space of Bragg mirrors of the XFELO optical cavity must be continuously adjusted to compensate for the instabilities and maximize the output intensity. An angular stability of about 10 nrad (rms) is required [K. Kim and Y. Shvyd'ko, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 12, 030703 (2009)]. To approach this goal, a feedback loop based on a null-detection principle was designed and used for stabilization of a high-energy-resolution x-ray monochromator (DeltaE/E approximately 4 x 10(-8), E=23.7 keV) and a high-heat-load monochromator. Angular stability of about 13 nrad (rms) has been demonstrated for x-ray optical elements of the monochromators.