Influence of silicon interlayers on the structural and reflective X-ray characteristics of Ni/Ti multilayer mirrors

The influence of Si interlayers on the microstructure of the films and boundaries and on the reflective characteristics of Ti/Ni multilayer mirrors has been studied using X-ray reflectometry and diffractometry. We established that these Si interlayers perform different functions at different interfaces. An Si interlayer at an Ni-on-Ti interface acts as a diffusion barrier. An Si interlayer at a Ti-on-Ni interface mainly acts as a smoothing layer with a slight diffusion barrier effect. The largest increase in the reflectance, from 62 to 65.7%, at a wavelength of 1.54 Å, is observed when Si interlayers are deposited on both boundaries. The reason for the increase in reflectivity is the decrease in the widths of the transition layers from 6.5 Å on Ni and 7.5 Å on Ti, to 6.0 Å on Ni and 5.0 Å on Ti, respectively. Here, we explain this through the `barrier' effect of Si interlayers, which results in less mixing of film materials at the interfaces. Data on the reflectance of Ni/Ti multilayer mirrors in the spectral range of the `water window' at a wavelength of 27.4 Å are presented for the first time. The maximum reflectivity for an Ni/Ti multilayer mirror at a grazing angle of 7.2° was about 56%.