Study of the Effect of Carbon Barrier Layers on the Structural and Reflective Properties of Multilayer X-ray Mirrors Based on the Cr/V Material Pair

The structural parameters and reflective properties of multilayer X-ray mirrors based on a chromium–vanadium material pair were studied. These mirrors are optimized for operation in the spectral range of 2.42–2.73 nm. One of the key practical applications of such mirrors is X-ray microscopy, which enables real-time studies of biological samples. Achieving the highest possible reflectivity of X-ray mirrors is essential for maximizing the temporal resolution of such experiments. It was shown that Cr/V mirrors exhibit large interfacial transition zones (arising at layer boundaries due to intermixing and chemical interactions between materials), which reduce the reflectivity of the mirror. It was also found that the transition zones between different materials are uniform both within a single bilayer and across multiple periods of the mirror structure. To reduce the thickness of these transition zones, carbon barrier layers were introduced into the mirror structure. This approach significantly decreased the interfacial zone thickness, which in turn led to an increase in mirror reflectivity.