LOW-ENERGY ION-BEAM MIXING AS A TOOL FOR MULTILAYER X-RAY MIRROR FABRICATION

We present low energy ion beam mixing as a tool for the fabrication of composite layers with smooth interfaces. Using this tool we make a st ack of alternating layers of Si and MoxSiy. We measure composition and interfacial roughness (sigma) and find x/y approximate to 5/3 and sig ma approximate to 4 Angstrom. The method can be applied to reduce abso rption losses in x-ray multilayer mirrors for high-resolution dispersi ve purposes, and to increase thermal stability of multilayers. The thi ckness of the mixed layers is found to be equal to the ion range. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.