CROSS-SECTIONAL TRANSMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY STUDIES OF METALLIC MULTILAYERS

The contribution of transmission electron microscopy, both conventiona l and high resolution, to the study of compositionally modulated metal lic multilayers (Fe/V and Co/Me with Me = Au, Cu or Pd) is illustrated . Different growth aspects are discussed with special emphasis on the interference of the microstructure, which usually is columnar, with th e artificial composition modulation. The occurrence of layer curvature and interface roughness and the degree of coherence is addressed as w ell. Where possible, the effect of the multilayer microstructure on th e film properties is discussed.