Cr/Sc nanolayers for the water window: improved performance

Abstract New performance data for small-period Cr/Sc multi(nano-)layers obtained with polarised synchrotron radiation are shown. The sputter-deposited multilayers were optimised for use either in normal incidence or close to 45° for polarimetry applications at photon energies around the 2p-absorption edges of Sc (399 eV) or Cr (574 eV), respectively. Due to improved stabilisation of sputter sources the reflectance, polarisance and phase retardation could be improved by up to 50% compared to results obtained three years ago.