Using Laser Wakefield Accelerators and XFELs to probe extreme conditions

Laser wakefield accelerators can produce bright, broadband femtosecond duration X rays suitable for probing matter in extreme conditions. X rays free electron lasers can be focused to high intensity to generate warm and hot dense matter far from equilibrium. This project aims to combine these capabilities at the MEC end station on LCLS to use the X rays from a LWFA to probe the extreme states of matter produced by the XFEL.