Investigating phase dynamics of materials under laser-induced extreme conditions

Shock compression driven by nanosecond-laser techniques generates extreme pressure and temperature conditions in materials, enabling the study of high-pressure phase transitions and the behavior of materials in extreme environments. These dynamic high-pressure states are relevant to a wide range of phenomena, including planetary formation, asteroid impacts, spacecraft shielding, and inertial confinement fusion. The integration of advanced X-ray diffraction experimental techniques, from laser-induced X-ray sources and X-ray free-electron lasers, and theoretical simulations has provided unprecedented insights into material behavior under extreme conditions. This perspective reviews recent advances in dynamic high-pressure research and the insights that they can provide, concentrating on dynamical phase transitions, metastable and transient states, the influence of crystal orientation, microstructural changes, and the kinetic mechanism of phase transitions across a variety of interdisciplinary fields.