Aging effect of Co/C soft X-ray multilayer mirrors BAI Haili, JIANG Enyong, TIAN Renyu and WANG Cunda

MULTILAYER X-ray mirrors are of one-dimensional period structures consisting of alternating layers of materials of high- and low-refractive index. In the applications of soft X-ray multilayer mirrors, such as microscopy, astronomy and microlithography, high reflectivity is so important that it is necessary to know if the multilayers in use show aging effects, e.g. reflectivity changing with time. In this study, the aging effects of Co/C multilayers are investigated,

Interdiffusion in Co/C soft X-ray multilayer mirrors

The observation of structural changes in multilayers （MLs） has been used to study the interaction of materials at interface under nonequilibrium conditions, and to measure atomic diffusion rate and activation energies for compound formation. Cook and Hilliard have developed a technique which allows the measurement of small interdiffusivities down to 10-27m2·s-1 by X-ray diffraction. Previous measurements are concentrated mainly on the crystalline metallic multilayers and amorphous metallic multilayers. To our knowledge, few interdiffusion measurements have been carried out for amorphous metallic-metalloid multilayers. As effective soft X-ray mirrors, Co/C multilayers have been successfully used in an X-ray telescope. Therefore, this note aims to report the interdiffusion of sputtered

Development of aperiodic multilayer mirrors operated at W-Lβline for plasma diagnostics application

Multilayer interference mirrors play a pivotal role in spectroscopic diagnostic systems,which probe electron temperature and density during inertial confinement fusion processes.In this study,aperiodic Mo/B_(4)C multilayer mirrors of varied thick-nesses were investigated for X-ray plasma diagnostics at the 9.67-keV W-Lβline.The thickness distribution of the aperiodic multilayers was designed using the first Bragg diffraction condition and then optimized through a simplex algorithm to realize a narrow bandwidth and consistent spectral response.To enhance spectral accuracy,further refinements were undertaken by matching the grazing incidence X-ray reflectivity data with actual structural parameters.X-ray reflectivity measurements from the SSRF synchrotron radiation facility on the optimized sample showed a reflectivity of 29.7±2.6%,flat-band range of 1.3 keV,and bandwidth of 1.7 keV,making it suitable for high-temperature plasma diagnostics.The study explored the potential of predicting the 9.67 keV reflectivity spectrum using the fitting data from the grazing incidence X-ray reflectivity curves at 8.05 keV.Additionally,the short-term thermal stability of an aperiodic multilayer was assessed using temperature-dependent in situ X-ray measurements.Shifts in the reflectivity spectrum during annealing were attributed to interdiffusion and interfacial relaxation.The research team recommends the aperiodic Mo/B_(4)C multilayer mirror for operations below 300℃.

Hard X-ray focusing resolution and efficiency test with a thickness correction multilayer Laue lens

The multilayer Laue lens(MLL) is a diffractive focusing optical element which can focus hard X-rays down to the nanometer scale. In this study, a WSi_(2)/Si multilayer structure consisting of 1736 layers, with a 7.2-nm-thick outermost layer and a total thickness of 17 μm, is prepared by DC magnetron sputtering. Regarding the thin film growth rate calibration, we correct the long-term growth rate drift from 2 to 0.6%, as measured by the grazing incidence X-ray reflectivity(GIXRR). A one-dimensional line focusing resolution of 64 nm was achieved,while the diffraction efficiency was 38% of the-1 order of the MLL Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility(SSRF) with the BL15U beamline.

Multilayer optics for the EUV and soft X-rays

The demand to enhance the optical resolution, to structure and observe ever smaller details, has pushed the way towards the EUV and soft X-rays. Induced mainly by the production of more powerful electronic circuits with the aid of projection lithography, optics developments in recent years can be characterized by the use of electromagnetic radiation with smaller wavelength. The good prospects of the EUV and soft X-rays for next generation lithography systems (λ=13.5 nm), microscopy in the “water window” (λ=2.3～4.4 nm), astronomy (λ=5～31 nm), spectroscopy, plasma diagnostics and EUV/soft X-ray laser research have led to considerable progress in the development of different multilayer optics. Since optical systems in the EUV/soft X-ray spectral region consist of several mirror elements a maximum reflectivity of each multilayer is essential for a high throughput. This paper covers recent results of the enhanced spectral behavior of Mo/Si, Cr/Sc and Sc/Si multilayer optics.

Effects of dispersion and filtering induced by periodic multilayer mirrors reflection on attosecond pulses

Using temporal and spectral methods,the effects of dispersion and filtering induced by Mo/Si multilayer mirrors reflection on incident attosecond pulses were studied.First,two temporal parameters,the pulse broadening factor,and the energy loss factor,were defined to evaluate the effects of dispersion and filtering.Then,by analyzing these temporal parameters,we investigated and compared the dispersion and filtering effects on attosecond pulses.In addition,we explored the origins of pulse broadening and energy loss by analyzing the spectral and temporal characteristics of periodic Mo/Si multilayer mirrors.The results indicate that the filtering effect induced by Mo/Si multilayer mirrors reflection is the dominant reason for pulse broadening and energy loss.

A high quality surface finish grinding process to produce total reflection mirror for x-ray fluorescence analysis

Total reflection x-ray fluorescence analysis is applied to trace element detection in liquid for effective environmental monitoring.This analytical approach requires x-ray total reflection mirrors.In order to achieve high sensitivity element detection,the mirrors require high surface quality for high x-ray reflectivity.Surface finishing for x-ray mirrors is typically conducted through a series of abrasive processes,such as grinding and polishing,and is thus time consuming.The purpose of this study is to streamline and enhance the surface finishing process based on unique high quality grinding techniques for the production of x-ray total reflection mirrors.

AN ADVANCED TECHNIQUE FOR THE TEXTURES MEASUREMENTAND ANALYSIS FOR THE MULTILAYER MATERIALS

In view of being difficult to find a non-oriented multilayer specimen, the precise defocusing correction become a particular obstacle of quantitative texture analyszs of the multzlayer. A new method is employed in this paper for comcting the eoperzment data. And a theoretical calculation for the defocus curre is proposed thinking about both thc dtherent film thickness and the penetration depth of the incident beam in the films. A critical value jor the defocusing cormction in the film is alsi cinsidered. This new tcchnique is applied to the Zn-Cu multilayer for which the quantitative texture analysis is completed by the modified maxitnum entropy tnethod.

Modulus and Hardness Change of Silicon and Sapphire Substrates by TiC/VC Multilayer Coatings

The nanohardness H of multilayer specimens TiC/VC@Si and TiC/VC@Sapphire prepared by Pulsed-Laser-Deposition is investigated to check the existence of a superlattice effect as known from TiN/VN multilayers. In the present work the multilayer period thickness λ varies between 1.34 nm and 24.8 nm (total layer thickness t ≈ 200 nm). Unlike Young’s modulus E, H is enhanced, regardless of t, by covering Si as well as sapphire with a TiC/VC multilayer;the relative load carrying capacity being larger for Si. The maximum value of H obtained is 38 GPa for TiC/VC@Sapphire. It is observed for a multilayer thickness of λ ≈ 10 nm. Hardness of TiC/VC@Sapphire obeys, after annealing, a Hall-Petch relation H = 35.25 + 6.945 λ–0.5 (H in GPa und λ≥ 10 nm). From orientation dependent X-ray absorption fine structure and X-ray reflection records, short-range order and layer geometry are derived. These analyses reveal a continuous approach of interatomic distances Ti-C and V-C for deceasing multilayer periods. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy shows that multilayers are nanostructured, i.e., not only TiC/VC phase boundaries but also subgrains represent obstacles against plastic deformation. Dislocations play a major role as sources of internal stress and vehicles of plasticity.

Ultrafast structural dynamics using time-resolved x-ray diffraction driven by relativistic laser pulses

Based on a femtosecond laser plasma-induced hard x-ray source with a high laser pulse energy(>100 mJ)at 10 Hz repetition rate,we present a time-resolved x-ray diffraction system on an ultrafast time scale.The laser intensity is at relativistic regime(2×10^(19)W/cm^(2)),which is essential for effectively generating K_(α)source in high-Z metal material.The produced copper K_(α)radiation yield reaches to 2.5×10^(8)photons/sr/shot.The multilayer mirrors are optimized for monochromatizating and two-dimensional beam shaping of Kαemission.Our experiment exhibits its ability of monitoring the transient structural changes in a thin film SrCoO_(2.5)crystal.It is demonstrated that this facility is a powerful tool to perform dynamic studies on samples and adaptable to the specific needs for different particular applications with high flexibility.

Thermal Diffusion of Si Atoms at the Interface of Mo/Si Bilayers Studied with a Soft X-ray Emission Microscope

Thermal diffusion of Si atoms at the interface in Mo/Si multilayers was observed with an imaging type soft X ray emission microscope developed by us. It was possible to observe the diffusion with 0.2nm depth resolution in the direction normal to the interface by comparing the emission intensity for exactly the same position. The diffusion coefficient of Si atoms in Mo at 600℃ was roughly estimated to be 6.0×10 17 cm 2/s.

Present Status of EUV Interferometer Development at the Research Center for Soft X-ray Microscopy

A new interferometer for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation with a laser produced plasma (LPP) laboratory source is under construction. The LPP source is operated with a Sn solid rod target on which pulsed YAG laser is focused to produce high temperature plasma emitting EUV radiation. The source is equipped with a newly designed debris stopper protecting a condenser multilayer mirror from the particle debris of the target. The condenser mirror focuses the light onto an EUV beam-splitter to form transmitted and reflected paths for producing interference fringes of a sharing type. The optical configuration is of a common path based on a triangular path type with a focusing at the beam-splitter, which is enabled to produce fringes by a low coherence radiation with a standard optical quality beam-splitter. The fringes are recorded by an imaging plate with pixels as small as 25μm. The dynamic range of linearity in detection of the EUV light was found to be more than 10 4 with sensitivity of 10 4 photons/pixel, enough for the purpose of interferogram recording, possibly with one laser shot.

Soft X-ray optical multilayer mirrors

The current research on the structure design, characterization and structural stability of soft X-ray optical multilayermirrors is reviewed and further studies on the currently existing problems and the possible solutions are made.

Design of chirped Mo/Si multilayer mirror in the extreme ultraviolet region

The chirped Mo/Si multilayer mirror in the extreme ultraviolet region is designed to obtain sub-femtosecond pulses from high-order harmonics. Numerical simulations of temporal profile of the pulses are made for superposition of incident high-order harmonics and that of reflected ones by the chirped multilayer mirror. The normal incidence reflectivity and chirp in the wavelength range of 12.5 - 16.5 nm are 6.7% =k 0.5% and -3617 ± 171 as^2, respectively. Simulation results indicate that the designed chirped multilayer mirror can be used for producing 104-as pulses.

High-resolution X-ray flash radiography of Ti characteristic lines with multilayer Kirkpatrick–Baez microscope at the Shenguang-ⅡUpdate laser facility

High-resolution X-ray flash radiography of Ti characteristic lines with a multilayer Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope was developed on the Shenguang-Ⅱ(SG-Ⅱ)Update laser facility.The microscope uses an optimized multilayer design of Co/C and W/C stacks to obtain a high reflection efficiency of the Ti characteristic lines while meeting the precise alignment requirement at the Cu Kα line.The alignment method based on dual simulated balls was proposed herein,which simultaneously realizes an accurate indication of the center field of view and the backlighter position.The optical design,multilayer coatings,and alignment method of the microscope and the experimental result of Ti flash radiography of the Au-coned CH shell target on the SG-Ⅱ Update are described.

X-ray nanometer focusing at the SSRF based on a multilayer Laue lens

We designed and fabricated a multilayer Laue lens （MLL） as a hard X-ray focusing device. WSi2/Si multilayers were chosen owing to their excellent optical properties and relatively sharp interface. The multilayer sample was fabricated by using direct current （DC） magnetron sputtering technology and then was sliced and thinned to form an MLL. The thickness of each layer was determined by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） image analysis with marking layers. The focusing property of the MLL was measured at Beamline 15U, Shanghai Synchrotron Facility （SSRF）. One-dimensional （1D） focusing resolutions of 92 nm are obtained at photon energy of 14 keV.

Hard X-ray one dimensional nano-focusing at the SSRF using a WSi_2 /Si multilayer Laue lens

The multilayer Laue lens （MLL） is a novel diffraction optics which can realize nanometer focusing of hard X-rays with high efficiency. In this paper, a 7.9 μm-thick MLL with the outmost layer thickness of 15 nm is designed based on dynamical diffraction theory. The MLL is fabricated by first depositing the depth-graded multilayer using direct current （DC） magnetron sputtering technology. Then, the multilayer sample is sliced, and both cross-sections are thinned and polished to a depth of 35–41 μm. The focusing property of the MLL is measured at the Shanghai Synchrotron Facility （SSRF）. One-dimensional （1D） focusing resolutions of 205 nm and 221 nm are obtained at E=14 keV and 18 keV, respectively. It demonstrates that the fabricated MLL can focus hard X-rays into nanometer scale.

Effect of native defects and laser-induced defects on multi-shot laser-induced damage in multilayer mirrors

The roles of laser-induced defects and native defects in multilayer mirrors under multi-shot irradiation condition are investigated. The HfO2/SiO2 dielectric mirrors are deposited by electron beam evaporation （EBE）. Laser damage testing is carried out on both the 1-on-1 and S-on-1 regimes using 355-nm pulsed laser at a duration of 8 ns. It is found that the single-shot laser-induced damage threshold （LIDT） is much higher than the multi-shot LIDT. In the multi-shot mode, the main factor influencing LIDT is the accumulation of irreversible laser-induced defects and native defects. The surface morphologies of the samples are observed by optical microscopy. Moreover, the number of laser-induced defects affects the damage probability of the samples. A correlative model based on critical conduction band （CB） electron density （ED） is presented to simulate the multi-shot damage behavior.

Dispersive mirrors designed with mixed metal multilayer dielectric stacks

A different approach to construct dispersive mirrors （DMs） for ultrafast applications is proposed based on the high reflectivity and constant phase property of a novel metal in ultrawide spectral band. A 200- nm bandwidth DM, a high dispersive DM, and a complementary DM are designed with mixed metal multilayer dielectric stacks. The results show that the mixed-metal multilayer dielectric DMs （MMDMs） have much less layers and total thickness compared with an all-dielectric DM under the case of comparable performance. Such an approach will save manufacturing time and remarkably improve the stress of the DM.

X-ray focusing with efficient high-NA multilayer Laue lenses

Multilayer Laue lenses are volume diffraction elements for the efficient focusing of X-rays.With a new manufacturing technique that we introduced,it is possible to fabricate lenses of sufficiently high numerical aperture(NA)to achieve focal spot sizes below 10 nm.The alternating layers of the materials that form the lens must span a broad range of thicknesses on the nanometer scale to achieve the necessary range of X-ray deflection angles required to achieve a high NA.This poses a challenge to both the accuracy of the deposition process and the control of the materials properties,which often vary with layer thickness.We introduced a new pair of materials—tungsten carbide and silicon carbide—to prepare layered structures with smooth and sharp interfaces and with no material phase transitions that hampered the manufacture of previous lenses.Using a pair of multilayer Laue lenses(MLLs)fabricated from this system,we achieved a two-dimensional focus of 8.4×6.8 nm2 at a photon energy of 16.3 keV with high diffraction efficiency and demonstrated scanning-based imaging of samples with a resolution well below 10 nm.The high NA also allowed projection holographic imaging with strong phase contrast over a large range of magnifications.An error analysis indicates the possibility of achieving 1 nm focusing.