The Soft X-Ray Performance Of Plane And Figured Ni-Ac Multilayer Mirrors

In multilayer assemblies consisting of alternating high and low absorption index materials the strongly absorbing (metal) component layer is usually microcrystalline. The crystallite size influences the soft X-ray reflectivity of the stack by determining the effective reflecting area of the stack and the diffuse scattering contribution. The influence of the deposition parameters on the structure of ion-beam sputtered Ni and a-C films is described together with the associated multilayer soft X-ray reflectivity spectra as a function of sputtering energy, d-spacing and film thickness ratio.