Local ordering in disordered systems under extreme conditions

Recent advances in data-analysis and instrumentation allowed us to perform x-ray absorption (YCAS) studies of liquids, undercooled liquids and glasses under high-temperature and/or high-pressure conditions. The experimental set-up used for combined XAS and x-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation at the ESRF is briefly shown. Advances in XAS data-analysis allowing detailed structural insight about pair and higher-order distributions are also mentioned. Applications to liquid and undercooled liquid metals like Cu, and Sn under pressure are briefly discussed.