X-RAY REFLECTION AND DIFFUSE-SCATTERING FROM SPUTTERED GOLD-FILMS

Gold films were prepared by DC sputtering on quartz glass substrates u nder two different conditions, once in argon at 3 x 10(-3) mbar (Au1-f ilms), and once in residual air at 0.3 mbar (Au2-films). Specular X-ra y reflection showed that the surface of the Au1-films was as smooth as that of the substrate, whereas the Au2-films were distinctly rougher. The diffuse scattering could be measured with a laboratory equipment by recording rocking curves and detector scans. The application of exi sting theories to the diffuse scattering data showed that slight modif ications of the given equations were necessary. With these modificatio ns the experimental data could be fitted very well, and the height-hei ght correlation functions of the surfaces of the films and of the subs trate were determined. In the Au1-films the surfaces of the film and t he substrate are perfectly correlated, whereas in the Au2-films no cro ss correlation is found. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.