Diffraction gratings based on asymmetric-cut multilayers

We report on the fabrication of novel diffraction gratings for soft x-ray and extreme ultra-violet (EUV) photon energies based on asymmetric-cut multilayer structures. Asymmetric-cut multilayers are highly dispersive and highly efficient gratings obtained by slicing a thick multilayer coating. Multilayer deposition techniques enable sub-ångström precision in layer thickness control, which leads to close to perfect blazed gratings. However, the final grating size is limited by the maximum multilayer thickness for which one can still control the layer thickness, stress and roughness. Here, we present a new approach in which we substantially extend the grating size by combining specially prepared substrates, thick multilayer deposition and final polishing. Gratings prepared by this method, like asymmetric multilayers deposited on plane substrates, are highly dispersive and efficient. Their extended size make them ideal for use in monochromators, spectrometers and pulse compressors.